Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Tobacco Use And Its Deadly Impacts To Oral Health

It's known to us that smoking is bad for our health. However, most individuals who smoke really don't know that using tobacco is a huge contributor to not only health complications but dental problems also. We cannot always put blame on cigarettes for this. Are you aware that all forms of tobacco such as cigars, smokeless tobacco, and hookah water pipes lead to dental health problems.

Medical studies confirm that smoking causes stroke, heart disease, emphysema, lung cancer and throat cancer. Apart from those health troubles mentioned above tobacco use can also cause the following health consequences:

* Tooth staining that could not be removed by regular brushing of teeth.

* Smelly breath or halitosis

* Mouth sores

* Shifting teeth

* Increased tartar and plaque build up on teeth which will need regular dental cleanings.

* Increased risk for developing oral cancer which is a progressive disease which can be unsafe and if not diagnosed and addressed early.

* Increased risk for gum disease which is the foremost cause of loss of tooth in adults.

* Using tobacco can slow down the recovery process after tooth extraction or any other oral surgery treatments.

* Can havoc the gum tissue and lead to receding gums, thus leaving the roots of the teeth open. This can raise the risk for tooth decay and contribute to teeth sensitivity to hot and cold.

* Increased bone loss within the jaw

* Greater risk of leukoplakia, white patches inside the mouth

* Low success rate of dental implant treatments.

* Inflammation of the salivary gland openings on the roof of the mouth

Therefore how does smoking cause gum disease?

Tobacco use and smoking can result in gum disease by wrecking the attachment of the bone and soft tissue of your teeth. Specifically, cigarette smoking seems to meddle with the normal function of the gum tissue to your teeth. It is because of this interference that those that smoke are susceptible to infections such as periodontal disease. Using cigarettes also affects the flow of blood to the gums which seems to have an impact on wound healing.

Planning on quitting smoking?

Putting an end to you smoking habit will unquestionably enjoy loads of long term health benefits. In case you plan to quit now but don't know how, you can speak to your physician or richmond dentist for some tips to help you quit smoking. For more advice on how to quit smoking and good oral hygiene, richmond dentists provide some very useful information right here at martinsmiles.com.

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