People only think of the harm that comes to their lungs when they smoke tobacco or any e-cigarettes, but it causes harm to other areas of your body as well, including your mouth, your teeth, and your gums.
That’s why it’s important to have regular visits to your doctor if you are smoking to ensure that the health of your mouth is taken care of.
Tell-Tale Signs of Tobacco Use
Speak to your dentist in Sandy Utah and they’ll tell you that there are some very common signs of bad oral health if you’re smoking tobacco.
These include:
- Bad breath
- A dulled sense of smell and taste
- Stained teeth and tongue
- Increased buildup of plaque and tartar
- Loss of bone within the jaw
- Slow healing of any periodontal conditions, such as surgery or tooth extraction
- Oral cancer
- Gum disease and tooth loss
If you start to notice small changes in your mouth, then you should see a dentist as soon as possible.
No Tobacco Is Considered Safe
Even if you’re using an e-cigarette, tobacco isn’t made any less safe.
There is still the intake of tobacco, which still has cancer-causing chemicals. Some of the most common health problems related to smokeless tobacco use include:
- Cancer: tobacco contains a lot of carcinogens that can cause cancer in the mouth, throat, esophagus, cheek, gum, lip, and tongue.
- Addiction: tobacco contains nicotine, which is extremely addictive.
- Gum disease: tobacco contains sugars and irritants that can increase the chances of gum infections. If left untreated, gum disease can result in tooth loss.
- Heart disease: tobacco is known to raise heart rate and blood pressure, which puts extra strain on the heart and damages it faster.
What About Vaping?
Vaping can also bring about these problems, but what makes it worse is that it is advertised as coming in different flavors, making it very attractive to young people.
Nicotine has been shown to cause harm to adolescent brain development. There is also the danger of being poisoned by the ingestion of e-cigarette liquid.
In addition to the damage caused by nicotine, vaping alone poses some risks.
People who vape also have a much higher chance of developing gum recession, tooth sensitivity, gum disease, tooth loss, and tooth damage due to clenching or grinding on an e-cigarette.
Using e-cigarettes can also cause facial injuries, bone fractures, burns, and lost teeth from the batteries catching on fire.
In Conclusion
Quit while you’re ahead. Giving up nicotine is good for your mouth and overall health, and decreases your risk of a heart attack, stroke, or cancer.
Even quitting for a few minutes, your body will start to heal itself; 20 minutes after you’ve quit, your heart rate and blood pressure will drop back to normal. Five years after quitting, all risks of cancer have dropped by half.
So if you are ready to kick the habit, contact the National Tobacco Quit Line or speak to your medical professional to see how you can get back to being your healthy self again.
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