Most people are aware that smoking can seriously affect their general health. The links with lung disease, heart problems and cancer are now well known and established through many years of research.
It isn’t just your lungs and heart that can be affected though. Smoking also has a significant and negative impact on your oral health.
Your teeth, gums, tongue and the other soft tissues inside your mouth are exposed to cigarette smoke every time you inhale. Over time, this can lead to a number of problems, from teeth staining and bad breath to serious gum disease and potential tooth loss.
The effects are not caused by just a single ingredient in a cigarette. The smoke itself, nicotine and tar can all contribute in different ways and we will look at these now.
Cigarette smoke contains thousands of chemicals. Every time you inhale, these chemicals come into contact with the soft tissues in your mouth as well as entering your lungs.
One of the most obvious and noticeable effects of the smoke is staining. The smoke can cause teeth to become yellow or brown, particularly around areas where plaque and tartar have built up, creating a rougher surface. Professional cleaning at our Witham dental practice may remove some surface staining, but heavy or long-term smoking can make discolouration more difficult to treat.
Smoke can also contribute to bad breath. The smell may linger, not only on your clothes and in your home, but in your mouth and throat as well. Smoking also reduces the flow of saliva which helps to wash away food particles and bacteria. When the mouth becomes drier, bacteria can multiply more easily and unpleasant odours can become more noticeable by friends and colleagues around you.
Nicotine is the substance in tobacco that makes it so addictive to many people. It is responsible for making smoking so difficult to give up, but it also affects the mouth as well.
The main way that it does this is to cause the blood vessels to narrow. This can reduce the blood supply to the gums. This matters because healthy gums need a good blood supply to receive oxygen and nutrients and to help the body respond to infection. A reduced flow means that healing will be slower and infections are more likely. It also makes gum disease more likely to occur and be difficult to treat as well. In some instances, this can even lead to tooth loss.
Tar is the sticky substance produced when tobacco is burned. It contains many chemicals and, as it is sticky, can collect on the tooth enamel and other surfaces inside the mouth. Along with contributing to staining, tar can help create an environment where plaque and bacteria are more difficult to control.
The longer somebody has smoked, and the more they smoke, the greater the potential exposure to these substances. You can often tell a long term smoker by the colour of their teeth, with heavier smokers sometimes having teeth that look a deep yellow or even brown colour.
Tar and the other chemicals in tobacco smoke can also irritate the tissues inside the mouth. Any persistent changes, such as sores, patches or areas that do not heal, should always be checked by a dentist or doctor.
Smoking is one of the major causes of gum disease that we see at Blake Dental as well as being a very expensive habit these days!
Gum disease begins when bacteria in plaque cause inflammation around the gums. If the condition is not treated, it can eventually damage the bone and tissues that support the teeth. Smoking makes this process more likely and may also make gum disease more difficult to treat.
People who smoke are more likely to develop serious gum problems than those who do not smoke. They may also experience a poorer response to treatment.
The good news is that stopping smoking can improve the situation. The risk does not necessarily disappear immediately, but the body gradually begins to recover after you quit. Over time, the health of the gums can improve and treatment may be more successful.
Tooth loss is often associated with decay, but gum disease is another major cause. Because smoking increases the risk of advanced gum disease (periodontitis), it can indirectly increase the risk of losing teeth.
The combination of gum inflammation, bone loss and reduced healing ability can make it more difficult to keep teeth healthy in the long term. This is one of the many reasons why we always encourage our Witham patients to seek help to quit smoking.
A word of warning to any of our patients with dental implants. Just because your replacement teeth are made from man made materials and won’t decay doesn’t mean that smoking won’t affect them. As discussed, smoking can lead to bone damage and as your implant relies on healthy bone tissue to keep it securely in place, it is important to keep this healthy.
A quick word about vaping which we will endeavour to cover in a future blog in more detail.
While vaping is generally safer than smoking according to research done so far, it is not without its risks. Most vaping materials may not contain smoke or tar but most still have nicotine in them. As with cigarettes, this can narrow the blood vessels and cause reduced healing and a higher risk of infections.
There are many places where you can get help to quit smoking and we suggest that you take advantage of these. If you are unsure where to start, your GP may be able to help.
We are also here to help you with any dental related issues that you might have and to help and encourage you to quit for a healthier mouth. If you would like to discuss any oral health issues you have that are related to smoking, or would like to book an appointment with us for any other reason, you can do so by calling Blake Dental today on 01376 501688.
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Katie Annabel Blake trading as Blake Dental is an Introducer Appointed Representative of Financing First Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Katie Annabel Blake is a credit broker, not a lender. The provider of a payment scheme which is not offered through or by Financing First Limited may not be so authorised and regulated.
