You’ve been hearing the pleas on TV and radio commercials for years, “Don’t smoke!” The list of what smoking does to destroy the human body is long and well-known. Thankfully, these anti-smoking and anti-tobacco ads have made some progress as millions of Americans have stopped smoking and using tobacco products.
Unfortunately, as many were giving up tobacco, millions of others were vaping. It has become the trendy substitute to smoking and dipping. Many more patients are coming in with poor hygiene and damaged teeth due to vaping as compared to vaping.
Here are some of the terrible health issues that these habits can cause to your dental and oral health. Here is what smoking, vaping and tobacco usage can do to your oral cavity and teeth:
- One of the most obvious side effects of smoking is teeth staining. Tobacco products (cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco, etc.) stain teeth so deeply that just brushing teeth, whitening them or even professorial dental cleanings cannot get the stain out. It’s ingrained to the inside of the tooth enamel and dentin. Regular use of tobacco products will stain teeth more quickly. These unsightly teeth stains make enamel look yellow and age the smile. Imagine going to an interview or your blind date with yellow or brown teeth. **Consult your dentist for a professional teeth cleaning that includes bleaching and a smoking cessation program.
- Vaping is a smokeless tobacco that is very popular among younger people. Vaping products contain flavors, solvents, and nicotine. It is heated using a liquid that generates an aerosol, and the aerosol is inhaled into the lungs. E-cigarettes may also contain cannabis-based products such as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and the psychoactive component of cannabis (marijuana). It’s catching on even with people who have never smoked before. Of course, we still don’t know the long-term effects as vaping has not been out long enough. However, clinical studies suggest that vaping causes cellular alterations much like traditional tobacco smoke. When someone inhales those vapors, the teeth become coated with sweeteners, sugars, and other chemicals that combine with saliva which creates acid byproducts. Each vape results in more acid which can lead to dry mouth and gum problems and cavities. The intense heat of the vape may also increase the risk to oral cancer (like regular tobacco products). If you are vaping, see your dentist every six months for a hygiene cleaning and a complete oral cancer examination.
- Periodontal (Gum) Disease: Smoking can mask the signs of gum disease. The typical symptoms of gum disease are gum recession, long teeth, inflamed gums, and gaps between the teeth. All of these factors can lead to loose teeth and eventual loss of teeth.
- Bad breath or halitosis plagues all smokers as it changes the oral flora of the mouth. Good bacteria are removed and exchanged for bad bacteria. The tongue can become coated with a thin white or brown residue or plaque. When periodontal disease progresses, it can cause severe bad breath that cannot be cured by brushing, rinses, or mints.
- The most serious risk factor of smoking, vaping, and tobacco usage is the drastic increase in occurrences of oral cancer. If detected early, oral cancer of the tongue, oral cavity, and tissues can have a good prognosis. The problem is that these areas are hard to spot and monitor. Please, especially if you smoke or vape, go see your dentist and dental hygienist for a cleaning and oral cancer examination. If we cannot get you to quit, at least we could help make sure precancerous changes do not occur.
Smoking, chewing, and vaping do massive damage to the health and appearance of a person. It is not only an unhealthy habit, but it can be fatal. Besides causing damage to the gums and teeth, smoking and vaping can cause oral cancer.
The dental staff at All Smiles Bethesda can advise you on the treatments you need and closely monitor your oral health along with recommending smoking cessation programs. If you would like to schedule an appointment for you or your family, please call us at 301-984-9646 email us at info@allsmilesbethesda.com or lorraine@allsmilesbethesda.com.
We serve the Bethesda, Rockville, Silver Spring, and the Washington, DC area.