How Does Smoking Affect Oral Health?

Since the dental cavity is the first part of the body exposed to cigarette smoke, smoking is associated with a number of teeth-related medical conditions. There is no doubt that cigarettes adversely affect teeth and other parts of the mouth.

It has been established that smoking is linked to dental problems in various studies. There are negative effects that can be caused by cigarettes on all parts of the body. As a result of tobacco use, our mouths are particularly susceptible to various dental risks. 

Due to the visible negative effects of cigarette use, smokers’ teeth are usually immediately recognizable.  Besides causing teeth to stain, what other threats does nicotine pose to oral health?

Well, things like gum issues, inflammation, bleeding, and mouth cancer alone can be sufficient to illustrate the dangerous and crucial effects of smoking on your teeth’s overall condition. Cigarettes have a significant effect on compromising your oral health, and cleanliness ultimately contributes to bad breath.

So, to know more about the same and how you can save your teeth from getting into the worst condition, keep on reading.

Oral health issues caused by smoking

Those who smoke are more likely to suffer from gum disease, infections, etc., and the most common dental care issues that smokers suffer from are: 

• Periodontal gum disease: Smoking contributes significantly to periodontal gum disease, which is an infection that ruins the bone surrounding and supporting your teeth. People also find it hard to chew food with this disease. 
• Smoker’s keratosis: Smoker’s keratosis is also known as Nicotinic Stomatitis. The roof of the mouth is affected by this lesion. Tobacco products cause Nicotinic Stomatitis because of their concentrated heat stream. This dental disease can be seen in most smokers. It is not easily noticeable, so it stays undetected most of the time. 

• Swollen and red gums: Smokers can also suffer from swollen and red gums, which can also bleed while brushing, and it is painful in most cases. If you smoke regularly, then you might have to struggle with swollen and bleeding gums. 

• Stained teeth: Another oral care problem that comes with too much nicotine intake is stains or discoloration in teeth. Heavy smokers often complain their teeth turn yellow very quickly or almost brown after years of nicotine consumption.

• Sensitive teeth: Sensitive teeth is another dental health issue that smokers often struggle with. Having heavy puffs of cigarettes every day can make your teeth sensitive to too hot or too cold food. 
• Tooth loss: Tooth loss is one of the many severe effects of heavy smoking. Often, smokers’ overall fitness is affected by gum disease and tooth loss. It happens because cigarette smoke leads to gums being pulled from the teeth, which can lead to tooth loss. 

These were some of the common dental care diseases that can affect a regular smoker. If you smoke heavily and notice any of the above-mentioned oral issues, it is best to take medical attention as soon as possible. 

Some prevention tips to keep your teeth healthy

Firstly the most common suggestion is to control or leave smoking. Apart from oral issues, there are many other harmful bodily diseases that are caused by regular nicotine consumption, so it is best to not smoke.

Apart from that, here are a few things that you can do to keep your dental care routine on track: 

• It is important to brush your teeth twice daily.
• It is important to floss frequently in order to prevent plaque from forming.
• Use mouthwash regularly.
• Try anti-nicotine treatments after consulting your doctor.
• Check your teeth regularly and have them professionally cleaned by a dentist.
• Stay away from smoking.

Lastly, we hope this article has helped you get a better idea about the oral care issues that can be caused by nicotine and tobacco and how you can prevent them from happening.