Smoking may have been in vogue 20 years ago, but with scientists uncovering more and more about the detrimental effects of tobacco, dentists everywhere are urging their patients to kick the habit. If the thought of developing lung cancer does not scare you enough to give up the habit, then here are some other reasons why you should consider quitting smoking:
You’ll have a stained smile.
Smoking will stain both your teeth and tongue, and you’ll eventually end up with yellow teeth and a yellow tongue. And on top of that, you’ll also develop halitosis or bad breath. Smoking dries up your mouth because of all that heat making your oral cavity conducive for bacterial multiplication. And with the increase of temperature in your mouth, you’re essentially providing an incubator for all that foul odor emitting bacteria.
You’ll get a gum disease.
Periodontal or gum diseases can compromise the ability of your gums and jaw bones to hold on to your teeth and keep them in place. The eventual consequence of gum disease is tooth loss, and that damage starts with something so seemingly harmless like plaque formation. Plaque is the white substance that coats the surfaces of your teeth, and turns into hard, mineral-like tartar. This tartar accumulates along your gum line and creates pockets or gaps in between your teeth and gums. These pockets indicate the existence of a gum disease. What is tobacco’s role in all these? The carcinogenic substance makes plaque stick much more to teeth, making it difficult to remove.
You’ll get oral cancer.
Oral cancer comes in different forms and can effect your lips all the way to the back of your throat. With a not-so-encouraging prognosis, this is the most serious repercussion of smoking. In fact, 40 to 50 per cent of oral cancer cases end up in death. According to the American Cancer Society, almost 90 per cent of individuals who have oral cancer have smoked or chewed tobacco. There is a six-fold increase in the risk of getting oral cancer among individuals who smoke as compared to those who do not. And the longer that you’ve been a smoker, the greater your risk becomes.
Don’t console yourself in the thought that just because you do not smoke tobacco, you’re safe from its detrimental effects. Dentists assert that it doesn’t matter how you use the carcinogenic chemical; you’re still susceptible to the diseases that tobacco use is linked to just the same.
Regular screenings at Central Dental in Little Rock, Conway, or Jacksonville, AR are recommended, in addition to stop smoking.
