The Connection between Smoking and Oral Health

Although many people today are aware and informed about the negative effects smoking has over their oral and general health as well, this seems not to be the right encouragement for them to quit. What is more dramatic, is the fact that the number of younger population that smokes, constantly increases and our aim is to make them think twice before they lit a cigarette.
Smoking is closely related to oral cancer and the chance to suffer from oral cancer increases if cigarettes are combined with alcohol. Smokers are more prone to periodontal disease, gum bleeding, increased plaque, teeth and prosthetic yellowing as well as staining that can not be fixed by teeth whitening treatment. In addition, the risk for premature tooth loss increases due to periodontal disease and complications during surgical treatment followed by infections due to the wounds that can not heal faster which is not the case with the non smokers.

Nicotine, tar and the cancer-causing agents released while smoking are the main culprit for oral cancer manifested through the following symptoms:
👉 wounds in the mouth cavity and lips that do not heal
👉 tumors in the mouth cavity and the throat
👉 swollen lymph gland at the neck area
👉pain and difficulty when swallowing
👉voice changes
👉weight loss
👉tooth loosening without particular reason
👉difficult wound healing after tooth extraction
👉 jaw movement difficulty
👉 white and red patches in the mouth cavity
Smokers are more prone to suffer from vitamin C deficiency as their body can not keep it and this leads to periodontal disease. This is the reason why smokers are recommended to increase the vitamin C intake on a regular basis .
Apart from tongue coloring in black-yellow shade, the possibility of suffering from halitosis is quite high and it can not be covered by a regular tooth brush.
There are several factors that determine the damage done by smoking such as: age, smoking duration period, cigarettes type i.e the amount of tar they contain and the number of cigarettes smoked per day.
Good health is based on good habits! Regular dental check ups followed by impeccable dental hygiene and healthy life style are the key to longevity. Remember, every moment is the right moment to quit smoking!