Tobacco products have been used for centuries, causing billions of people worldwide to become addicted to this dangerous drug. Despite the known ill effects that tobaccos use has on a person’s health, millions of Americans still choose to light up or put a wad of chew into their mouths each day. Numerous medical studies have proven again and again that tobacco causes devastating effects on a person’s health, yet another specific area of the body is often overlooked: the mouth.
The mouth is one of your most personal features because it is the dwelling place of your smile. A person’s smile says a lot about them, and many people find that they judge others on the appearance of their smile. One of the unfortunate side effects of smoking and tobacco use is the unattractive discoloration of the teeth. If you are meeting someone for the first time or heading in for a job interview and you flash a dingy smile, your first impression may not be a good one. Many dates and professional promotions have been lost due to an unattractive smile. However, there are even more devastating consequences that result from tobacco use.
Smokers and tobacco users are extremely vulnerable to periodontal disease and oral cancer. Many people are not familiar with periodontal disease, yet it is an extremely serious condition that causes irreversible damage to the mouth. The gums are the tissues that give strength and support to the teeth. When the gums become severely infected, periodontal disease causes the gums to become so damaged that the teeth will begin to fall out of the mouth. Smoking and tobacco use cause the gums to become irritated and raw, extremely vulnerable to infection. Periodontal disease is prominent among smokers and tobacco users because of the chemical damage that this drug causes.
Oral cancer is another prominent disease among tobacco users and smokers. With the compromised health of the gums, they are unable to fight off disease. Of course, cancer does not isolate itself in just one area of the body. Cancer cells that begin in the mouth can easily travel throughout the bloodstream and carry this disease to other major organs.
Smoking is a real drag on your oral, and overall, health. At Seminole Dentistry, we not only want to help you break the habit, but we also want to help you overcome the damage that tobacco has caused to your oral health. Contact our practice today.