How does smoking affect your oral health?

Everyone knows smoking is bad for their overall health as fears about lung cancer are very well documented, but not everyone is aware of how this habit can affect oral health, other than causing bad breath and yellow teeth. In fact smoking has a hugely detrimental effect on oral health and can cause a whole host of different problems which include:• Inflamed salivary glands• Increased risk of gum disease• Increased buildup of plaque and tartar on your teeth• Increased risk of bone loss in the jaw• Slowing down healing after any oral surgery or dental treatment• Increasing the risk of oral cancerOral Cancer and SmokingOral cancer is a real threat as around 90% of people diagnosed with cancers of the lips, mouth, tongue and throat will have used tobacco and smokers are a staggering six times more likely to develop oral cancer than non-smokers. Smokers are more at risk of developing a condition called leukoplakia which causes white patches to develop on the inside of the mouth. This condition isn’t necessarily harmful, but can be a precursor to oral cancer which is why it is always important to get any changes to the inside of your mouth thoroughly checked out. Midtown Dentistry does offer patients’ regular screenings for oral cancer and this simple and non-invasive test has the ability to potentially save your life.Gum Disease and SmokingGum disease or periodontal disease is another big risk as smoking can interfere with the normal function of gum cells. It affects the blood flow to the gums, making it more difficult for the body to get essential nutrients to damaged gums and to transport away toxins so it is trickier for your immune system to fight gum disease. As smoking can increase the buildup of plaque and tartar on teeth, the risk of developing gum disease is higher than normal. Another issue with smoking is that smokers with periodontal disease are less likely to have bleeding gums, due to constricted blood vessels, so they may be less aware of the damage being done by periodontal disease. One of the most popular and successful treatments to replace missing teeth is to use dental implants but this can be a problem for smokers.Healing After Dental SurgeryIf you are considering dental implants and currently use tobacco, you’ll strongly be advised to quit before treatment and ideally for good. Your implants are far more likely to fail if you smoke as they will be less able to fully integrate with your jawbone during healing. Other treatments such as tooth extractions or procedures for periodontal disease may be less successful and more prone towards problems unless you can give up smoking.Why Not Plan a Treat as a Reward for Quitting?You can almost always spot a smoker by the color of their teeth as nicotine does a great job in staining them, but quitting smoking is an excellent way to save money. If you do decide to give up, a mini smile makeover makes a nice reward for deciding to improve your overall health and your dental health.