31/10/2016
What Does Smoking Do To Your Smile?
We all know that smoking is bad for us. However, while the majority of us are focusing on the cancer risk or our lungs, what does smoking do to our mouth?
what does smoking do to your smile
It has been estimated that every year in the UK around 96,000 people die from diseases caused by smoking. Also, about half of all regular cigarette smokers will eventually be killed by their addiction.
However, this doesn’t stop us. Many Brits still smoke every day. Its addictive quality isn’t only causing damage to our lungs and bodies, but also to our teeth and mouths. Here are six things oral issues caused by smoking.
Gum disease.
what does smoking do to your smile
Not only does frequent smoking cause yellow teeth (ni****ne and tar in to***co can make your teeth yellow in a very short time) but it also causes gum disease and tooth loss. Smoking has an affect on how your teeth connect to your gums and bone in your jaw. Often resulting in severe gum disease. It’s affect on your gum tissue also leaves you susceptible to infections. Infections, coupled with your disintegrating jaw bone, means you could be at risk of loosing your teeth.
Excessive Tartar.
Tartar is caused when teeth aren’t cleaned properly. The excess of plaque that will build up can be given the opportunity to harden into this scale like substance. This gives the teeth an uneven scaly feel and often leads to gum disease.
Growth of Bacteria.
Smoking results in an increased build-up of bacteria, or plaque, on the teeth which can lead to decay and cavities. Plaque caused by smoking can also affect tissues supporting the roots of the teeth beneath the gum and weakens the bone supporting the tooth.
what does smoking do to your smile
Bad Breath.
Weve all heard of the term ‘smokers breath’. It goes without saying that ci******es will give you bad breath. It’s one of the first issues you develop when you become a smoker. When you smoke particles of the smoke are left behind in your mouth, throat and lungs. Smokers breath is unavoidable.
Patches and Spots in the Mouth.
Often smokers will notice patches and spots in their mouth. Most common is leukoplakia. This is when white or grey patches or spots appear on the cheek, tongue or floor of your mouth. It’s caused by frequent irritation to the tissue in the mouth. The best way to deal with this is obviously to stop smoking. However, brushing twice a day with a fluoride paste, avoiding sugary drinks or food and following your dentists instructions can go a long way to helping.
what does smoking do to your smile
Oral Cancer.
Smoking causes 2 in 3 of every oral cancer case. Every cigarette is encasing thousands of chemicals that turn your cells into cancerous ones. 91% of all oral cancer cases can be cured if they are caught early on. If you want to know what you should be looking for you can read our blog on oral cancer symptoms.
Smoking is addictive and hard to quit. However, with the use of services provided by the NHS and some strong willpower it can be done. We hope you’ve been successful if you’ve been trying to quit this Stoptober!
Tags: dental health, oral cancer, oral health, smoking
This entry was posted on Tuesday, October 25th, 2016 at 8:47 am and is filed under Dental Health, Health News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.
