The chemicals and ingredients found in tobacco can cause severe harm to the health of your body. Smoking puts many toxins in the body that increase your risk for heart and lung problems. However, the effects of smoking don’t stop there. Keep reading to learn the impact smoking has on oral health.
There are many ways smoking harms oral health, some of which include the following:
- Decreases saliva flow, causing a dry mouth
- Increases the amount of plaque bacteria and hardened tartar on the surface of teeth
- Stains teeth, which become especially visible if they are covered by tartar
- Diminishes your sense of taste
- Inhibits the immune system
- Irritates gum tissue
- Causes bad breath
These effects of smoking can create a myriad of oral health problems. The dry mouth and increased amounts of plaque and tartar can cause tooth decay. A weak immune system and irritation to the gum tissues may result in periodontal disease. And overall, smoking tobacco significantly increases your chances for developing oral cancer.
If you don’t want to suffer from these oral health problems, then quit smoking today. Even after just a few days of quitting, you will experience many benefits that only improve as the years pass. Please call our office if you want to learn how we can care for your dental health after you quit a smoking habit.