TOBACCO AND
ORAL HEALTH
Extinguish the
tobacco habit or watch your teeth fall out
Whether
you smoke cigarettes, cigars, pipe, or dip or chew tobacco,
you are more likely to have periodontal disease than those
who do not use any tobacco at all.
Smoking
may be responsible for more than half of the cases of periodontal
disease among adults in the United States, according to a
study published in the Journal of Peridontology (JOP).
The study found that current smokers are about four times
more likely than people who have never smoked to have advanced
peiodontal disease.
Many chemicals
found in tobacco, such as nicotine and tar may have harmful
effects in the periodontal tissues. One study even found that
current smokers had more plaque and periodontal destruction
than former or even newer smokers. As a result, tobacco users
may be more likely to have calculus form on thier teeth, have
deeper pockets between the teeth and gums, and lose more of
the bone tissue that support the teeth. Loss of bone and tissue
may potentially cause tooth loss.
Research shows that smokers lose more teeth than nonsmokers.
According to data from the centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, only about 20 percent of people over age 65 who
have never smoked are toothless, while a whopping 41.3 percent
of daily smokers over age 65 are toothless.
If you're a smokeless tobacco user, you're not out of harms
way. In fact, you are also at a greater risk of having more
severe and rapidly progressing periodontal disease, as well
as receding gums. And, when gums recede to the point where
the tooth roots are exsposed, teeth may become susceptible
to root cavities or sensitive to cold and touch - not to mention
the fact that the chances of developing oral cancer increase
with smokeless tobacco use.
For long-time users, the risk is much greater, making the
use of snuff or chewing tobacco among young people a special
concern.
Finally, for smokers, the good news is oral health will begin
to improve once you quit smoking. The JOP study showed
that 11 years after quitting, former smokers' likelyhood of
having periodontal disease was not significantly different
from those who had never smoked. This is definitely an incentive
to quit smoking, and the sooner you quit, the better off your
oral health will be.
If your a tobacco user remember the problems that occur with
tobacco use, including oral cancer, bad breath, stained teeth,
tooth loss, bone loss, loss of taste and smell, less success
with periodontal treatment and dental implants, mouth sores
and facial wrinkling. Be aware that periodontal disease is
an infection that is not just a major cause of tooth loss,
but is also linked to increased risk of heart disease, stroke,
poorly controlled diabetes, respiratory disease and premature
babies.
Kicking the
Habit
Millions
of Americans quit the addictive habit of tobacco use every
year. The benifits of quitting include reducing the chances
of developing cancer, lung and heart disease.
Tobacco use increases your risk for periodontal treatment
complications and/or failure. It also reduces the delivery
of oxygen and nutrients to gingival tissue, and will impair
the body's defense mechanisms making you more suseptible to
infections like periodontal disease.
To begin a tobacco-cessation program, ask your periodontist
or physician for help. Other tips to try include:
- Keeping
oral substitutes handy such as carrots, apples, and sugarless
gum.
- Brushing
your teeth.
- Taking
deep relaxing breaths.
- Spending
time in places where smoking is prohibited.
- Talking
to a friend for support.
- Changing
your daily routine and staying busy.
- Going
for a walk.
Quitting
the habit is a huge commitment, but one that will give you
a lifetime of results.
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Articles
courtesy of the American Academy of Periodontology
For more information, visit www.perio.org |
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