Smoking Affects More Than Your Lungs – Learn How Smoking Affects Your Oral Health
Do you smoke cigarettes? You’ve most likely heard a lot about how bad this habit is for your lungs. Did you realize, however, that smoking has a significant influence on the health of your teeth and gums? Keep reading to learn how this can be the case. If you are in need of dental help, contact California Dental Group at (800) 407-0161 to set up a dental cleaning and exam.
Gum disease symptoms might be hidden if you smoke
One of the most prevalent signs of gum disease is bleeding gums. However, if you smoke, your gums may not bleed as much. Without this important symptom to alert you to the existence of a gum disease infection, the infection is likely to proceed to the more serious form of periodontitis before you notice you need treatment.
Smoking increases the chances of losing teeth
Men who smoke are 3.6 times more likely than non-smokers to lose teeth, according to new data published in the Journal of Dental Research. Women are 2.5 times more likely than males to become pregnant. The fact that smokers are more likely to suffer from gum disease, which, if left untreated, can cause teeth to become loose and finally fall out, plays a part in this association.
Smoking reduces the number of tooth replacement options available
A dental implant is the most effective approach to replace a missing tooth. Smoking, on the other hand, will make any type of oral surgery, including dental implant surgery, more difficult to recuperate. You’ll have to settle for a bridge to replace your lost teeth unless you quit smoking. A bridge, unlike a dental implant, will not prevent bone loss around the missing tooth root in the jaw.
Oral cancer is linked to smoking
Another negative effect of smoking on your oral health is the possibility of developing oral cancer. When it comes to oral cancer, your dentist is usually your first line of defense. When you receive your yearly dental checkups, you’ll also get an annual oral cancer screening, which can help you catch oral cancer early enough to treat it successfully.
Smoking may harm your children’s oral health
There is a link between exposure to smokers and dental caries in newborns, according to observational research published in The British Medical Journal. Researchers discovered that at 4 months of age, newborns who lived in a smoking family were twice as likely to acquire cavities as children who lived in non-smoking families.
Can’t seem to kick the habit? Increase the number of times you go to the dentist
While quitting smoking is the greatest approach to avoid smoking’s negative effects on your oral health, if you are unable to do so, you may still try to improve your oral health by increasing your dental hygiene regimen. To avoid gum disease, you may need to be more diligent about brushing and flossing at home, and if you are particularly susceptible to infections, you may want to begin visiting the dentist more frequently than once a year to help keep your teeth and gums clean and healthy.
Please call one of our clinic locations now to schedule an appointment with a qualified dentist from California Dental Group.
