Smoking and your Oral Health

It is common knowledge that smoking is a serious health risk. It increases your chance of heart attack, stroke, and cancer. What is rarely talked about is the effect it has on your oral cavity including your teeth, gums, bones in the jaw, tongue, and other oral tissues. 

Smoking decreases your sense of taste and smell. It also causes bad breath, a condition known as halitosis. A common concern for many is the discoloration of the teeth from smoking. Whitening will work, but if you continue to smoke, the teeth will continue to discolor. 

That is just the beginning, smoking poses serious risks related to your oral health. It can cause inflammation of the salivary glands as well as increased leukoplakia (a white patch on the oral tissue). Smokers have much higher amounts of plaque and tartar in their mouths compared to non smokers. This coincides with a smokers increased risk for gum disease. Smoking interferes with the normal function of gum tissue cells. This makes them much more susceptible to periodontal disease which leads to bone loss in the jaw and eventually to tooth loss. Delayed healing is also a concern for smokers. Nicotine causes narrowing of the blood vessels, which impairs blood flow to the gums. This becomes problematic in the healing process after gum treatment or after an extraction, and it may lead to a painful condition known as dry socket. And of course, smoking can cause oral cancer. Smokers are six times more likely to develop oral cancers in the mouth, lips, tongue, or throat. 

Tips: First, and most importantly, quit. Talk to your doctor, get a support system, make a plan, and stick to it. Also, be sure to have good oral hygiene. Regular dental visits are important as well as regular oral cancer screenings. Talk to your doctor or hygienist about an advanced oral cancer screening tool called Vizilite. And stay informed, know what to look for. White, red, or dark, patches in your mouth that don’t go away within two weeks, should be looked at immediately by a dental professional.

For more questions about your smile or any concerns about oral cancer you may have, visit your dentist regularly or log on to our website for more information. 

-Levine Dental Associates

8860 N 60th St

Milwaukee, WI 53223

(414)355-0213