|
Smoking • Tobacco
TOBACCO
AND PERIODONTAL DISEASE
 If you smoke cigarettes, cigars, pipe, chew tobacco or
hookah, you are more likely to have periodontal disease than
those who do not use any type of tobacco.
Smoking:
Smokers are about 4 times more likely than “never-smokers”
to have advanced periodontal disease.
They have more plaque,
calculus, periodontal destruction (bone loss, gum recession,
tooth loss), bad breath, loss of taste and smell, stained
yellow teeth, mouth sores, black hairy tongue and higher
risk of oral (mouth, lip, tongue) cancer.
The detection of
periodontal diseases is often more difficult in tobacco
users.
This is because nicotine and other chemicals in
tobacco hide the symptoms (bleeding) and consequently the
necessary treatment may be delayed.
The periodontal disease
is more likely to progress faster, healing
following therapy may take more time, complications
increase, results that are less predictable and there is
less success with periodontal treatment and dental implants.
This is mainly due to the fact that smoking
and tobacco contain more than 4000 different toxins, reduces
the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the gingival tissues
and weakens the defense mechanisms leaving tobacco users
more susceptible to infections like periodontal disease.
Cigars and Pipes:
Studies have shown that this type
of tobacco has the same adverse effects as cigarettes.
Smokeless Tobacco (Chewing Tobacco):
The nicotine a
person gets by holding an average-sized dip in your mouth
for 30 minutes is equal to smoking 3 cigarettes.
Chewing
tobacco increases the risk of oral cancer by about 50 times.
Some brands are also heavily sweetened with sugar, which
promotes tooth decay.
In addition the tobacco contains
gritty material which can wear down the tooth surface.
Hookah:
Studies show that the inhalation of toxic
substances through a hookah pipe (smoking filtered out by
water) is similar to or even greater than that of cigarette
smoking.
WHY SHOULD I QUIT SMOKING?
 The good news is that a study has shown that quitting
smoking can gradually reduce the high risk of periodontal
progression.
This study showed that 11 years after quitting
former smokers was equal to never-smokers.
It also reduces other medical risks of lung and heart
disease, cancer and reduces expenses in general.
Ask your physician for help and information on tobacco
cessation programs.
Take one step closer to periodontal health.
|
jpg of stained teeth |
jpg of recessions |
|
