By Vivian DeLuca
•
04 Mar, 2024
In honor of National No Smoking Day on March 13, 2024, we wanted to educate our patients on the effects that smoking has on their teeth. Smoking can have a significant impact on your dental health. It can cause bad breath and even tooth loss. The chemicals in tobacco can damage the enamel of your teeth, making them more susceptible to decay. Smoking also reduces blood flow to the gums, which can lead to gum disease and, eventually, tooth loss. If you have a dental procedure, smoking can slow down the healing process, making it harder for your mouth to recover. Other than the tooth loss, will you get discoloration of teeth Smokers' teeth tend to develop tobacco stains; these may be yellow, brown, dark brown, or even black stains, the severity depending partly on the duration and frequency of the habit. How dental problems affect your total health If you need extra motivation to consider quitting, it can be helpful to think about what tobacco-related dental issues can do to your overall health. Smoking can cause life-threatening cancers of the mouth, throat, tongue, or jaw. Quitting now will reduce your risks for 12 different forms of cancer. Untreated gum disease – often caused by smoking – has been linked with stroke, high blood pressure, heart disease, and dementia. It's essential to quit smoking to maintain good dental health. If you are a smoker, ask us about our oral cancer screening test today!