How Smoking Harms Your Teeth

Smoking harms your teeth and significantly affects your overall oral health. According to research done by (the Academy Of General Dentistry), it is found that smoking a pack of cigarettes daily can lead to losing around two teeth every decade.

Tobacco and nicotine are significant culprits for severe factors contributing to teeth discoloration. Smoking and chewing tobacco and nicotine leads to damaging the tooth enamel.

Most people are aware that smoking is harmful to their health. It can cause many different severe medical problems and, in some cases, fatal oral diseases. However, many people do not realize the damage until it’s too late.

How Does Smoking Harms Your Teeth, Gums, And Oral Health

People who smoke heavily have a higher risk of gum problems, tooth decay, complications after tooth removal and dental surgery in the mouth, and an increased risk of mouth cancer.

Smokers are more likely to get infections and don’t heal as well as non-smokers. Those who smoke daily can have serious oral problems. Certain circumstances are mild, but some of them can be highly alarming.

Some Of the most common oral problems affecting people who smoke are –

• Gum or periodontal disease
• Tooth decay
• Tooth loss
• Mouth cancer
• Decreased taste
• Bad taste and causes bad breath (Halitosis)
• Poor healing after tooth removal
• Slow healing after dental gum or oral surgery

Gum Disease and Tooth Loss

Smoking potentially increases the risk of periodontal diseases and by accelerating tooth loss. According to an article, a Birmingham University study indicated that male smokers face a 3.6 times higher likelihood of tooth loss as compared to non-smokers.

In contrast, female smokers face only 2.5 times increased risk of tooth loss.

The risk of gum disease is higher –

• If you are a person who smokes at least 10 cigarettes in a day, as compared to someone who doesn’t smoke.
• The risk increases more likely in those who smoke 4 – 5 times more heavily.
• The longer you smoke, the higher your risk of developing gum disease.
• Gum disease treatments may not succeed for people who smoke.
• Tobacco use in any form, such as cigarettes, pipes, and smokeless (spit) tobacco, can raise the risk for gum disease.

Risk Of Oral Cancer

Smoking harms your teeth by increasing the risk of causing oral cancer. The Oral Health reports that those who smoke are ten times more likely to have mouth cancer than non-smokers.

Smoking weakens the immune system, slowing down or stopping the healing process after dental treatments or surgery.

According to World Health Organization (WHO), smokers’ teeth take a relatively longer time to recover after dental surgery due to compromised immune responses.

Symptoms Of Mouth Cancer – 

• Persistent ulcers in the mouth that do not go away after 7 – 10 days and are particularly not painful.
• Red or white patches in the mouth
• Swelling in the mouth
• Your dentures will not fit properly

Risk Of Tooth Decay

Tobacco use and smoking harms your teeth and gums. Smoking and using tobacco products can cause cavities on the surface of the teeth, which leads to tooth decay over time. Your teeth may even break down, which can be painful and require costly treatments.

Discoloration and Staining on teeth

The chemicals found in tobacco products like cigarettes and cigars can cause discoloration and stains on teeth. When you smoke, the nicotine and tar in tobacco can settle within the tooth enamel.

This can turn your teeth yellow very quickly. If you’re a heavy smoker, your teeth could eventually turn brown.

Tobacco stains are often tough to remove but can usually be treated using professional stain removal and teeth whitening treatment carried out or prescribed by your dentist.

Impaired Healing

Smoking and tobacco use make it harder for your immune system to fight against infection, which aids in slowing down your healing process after tooth recovery, injuries in the mouth, and any other dental treatments.

Smoking and tobacco use over time can lead to – 

• Dry socket – slow healing and painful tooth socket after tooth removal.
• Increased pain after oral and gum surgery
• Your dental implant surgery will not be successful if you smoke.

Does Smoking Causes Bad Breath

In research, it is found that there is a consistently strong association between smoking and increased risk of halitosis. Cigarette smoke contains many ingredients that can lower the oxygen level and antibiotic effects.

It contributes to dry mouth, gum disease, and tooth decay, which contribute to bacterial growth that causes dry mouth or halitosis.

Chemical compounds present in cigarette smoke can also contribute to mouth odor, which is popularly referred to as a smoker’s breath.

Smoking can cause dry mouth due to periodontal diseases, hyposalivation, and dental caries.

Smoking and using tobacco also causes a significant imbalance in the oral microbiome that causes bad breath or halitosis.

Ways To Combat Bad Breath Caused Due To Smoking

Bad breath is caused by reduced saliva production during the early stages of gum disease or dry mouth. Here are certain effective ways you can combat bad breath caused by smoking.

• Brush your teeth twice a day
• Floss regularly at least once
• Increase fluid intake to prevent your mouth from getting dry
• Use antibacterial mouthwash
• Use Fluoride based toothpaste
• Use peppermint or chew sugarless gums
• Schedule a regular dental cleaning to remove plaque and tartar from your teeth.

Key Takeaways

Quitting smoking helps to improve mouth cancer, and it also reduces the potential risk of gum diseases and enhances the person’s response to gum treatment. Avoid smoking if you want to keep your teeth and gums clean and healthy.

If you’re not ready to quit, you can still care for your teeth. The same dental health habits apply: Brush at least twice a day and floss daily. See your dentist at least twice yearly to help fight against gum disease and prevent tooth stains.

 Say No to Smoke, Say Yes to a Healthy Smile

Everyone knows that smoking causes lung cancer. Even most smokers are aware of this risk when they light up. But another danger of smoking that gets less attention is the damage it does to your teeth. Smoking breeds bacteria, which causes bad breath, yellow teeth, and gum disease. Every smoker knows …