Smoking kills!
We read this warning on all cigarette packs, yet sadly it fails to discourage smokers from stepping out beyond the shackles of this bondage. While many of us think smoking leads to lung cancer only, it also severely affects your mouth, gums and teeth.
The time has come to be aware of what smoking does to your mouth!
1. Tooth discoloration and Bad breath: Teeth & dental restorations tend to get stained because of nicotine
2. Increased build up of plaque and tartar on the teeth
3. Irritation to gum tissue and reduced blood supply to gums: This also leads to bone loss within the jaw and loss of teeth eventually.
4. Delayed healing: Reduced blood supply to the gum tissues leads to delayed healing following dental extraction, periodontal or other oral surgeries.
5. Oral cancerous & Pre-cancerous lesions: Smoking is a predisposing factor for many white and red pathological lesions in the mouth.
6. Inflammation on salivary glands
7. Lower success rate of Implant and other dental treatment.
It’s important to know that it’s not just cigarette smoke that contributes to periodontal disease. All tobacco products can affect your health. This includes pipe tobacco, smokeless tobacco and cigars.
Take the plunge and protect your dental and overall health.