Generally speaking, we are aware that smoking is not a healthy habit. Smoking is commonly known as one of the causes of lung and heart diseases. You might realize some of the consequences of smoking addiction if you are a smoker. Inhaling harmful chemical substances inside is dangerous to nearly every part of your body.
One of the adverse effects of the smoking habit can be oral health, mainly because the oral cavity is part of the body used when consuming cigarettes. The teeth, gum, and everything else inside the mouth is directly in contact with the smoke and impacted immediately.
But how does smoking affect the system in your mouth? How bad is smoking for our teeth? As we discuss the topic, you will find answers to those questions in this article.
TABLE OF CONTENT
- How does smoke affect your teeth?
- Can smoking cause tooth infection?
- How long does it take for smoking to affect your teeth?
- How does smoke affect your teeth?
The destructive effects of smoking on the body tend to happen after an extended period; the impact of smoking on the teeth included. The non-immediate harmful consequences of tobacco usually make smokers underestimate the danger of smoking to their teeth. It is especially true if a smoker doesn’t get enough information about how smoke affects the teeth.
As a smoker, practising good oral hygiene will help maintain dental health. However, it is always much better to quit smoking altogether. Your teeth can’t thank you enough for giving up your smoking addiction. Learn how smoking is risking the teeth’ health in the long run, among others:
- Stained and discoloured teeth
Tar and other chemicals in cigarettes can stick to teeth’ enamel and turn the natural white colour into yellowish, brown, or even darker.
- Speed up the plaque and tartar buildup
Smoking dries up the mouth cavity, which triggers salivary glands to produce more saliva. Too much saliva will make bacteria stick to the teeth’ surface and increase plaque and tartar buildup. After a while, it can lead to gingivitis and periodontitis, resulting in tooth loss.
- Slow down body’s healing process
Cigarette nicotine can lower the body’s immune system and reduce gum’s blood flow. Suppose you have a wound in your mouth from any oral disease or dental procedures. In that case, insufficient intake of fresh blood to the lesion will make it longer to heal.
- Bad breath
The smell of tobacco after smoking is strong and can last long in your mouth. Smoking heavily day in and day out will keep the scent lingering inside. It can cause a persistent, unpleasant odour when breathing.
- Receding jaw bone
The bone within your jaw is the prop in the face structure as the teeth’ seat. Smoking can cause the jawbone to lose density; when this happens, the jawbone will recede, possibly leading to tooth loss. Bone tissue loss occurs due to consuming damaging tobacco chemicals over a long period.
- Higher risk of oral cancer
Smokers have much higher chances of developing oral cancer than non-smokers. The chemicals in tobacco products are known to be associated with mouth cancer.
Can smoking cause tooth infection?
When the toxin substances of tobacco contact teeth, the chemical particles leave residue in tooth enamel. These destructive substances help harmful bacteria to build up plaque. Excessive plaque turns into tartar and causes cavities.
Without proper treatment, tooth decay develops into tooth infection and will likely result in tooth loss. The bacteria infection also harms the gum tissue, causing gum irritation and infection. Periodontitis is often resulting in severe conditions involving cavities and tooth infections.
The harmful chemical substances in cigarettes attack your immune system. If you already have a decay or tooth infection, smoking will worsen it. The same thing happens after you undergo a dental surgery or procedure that leaves any wound in the gum around the teeth. The healing of tooth infection or gum ulcer tends to slow down since the nicotine will decrease the oxygen supply in the bloodstream. Lack of blood circulation is not helping the tooth and gum heal and can even worsen the problem.
How long does it take for smoking to affect your teeth?
While smoking affects your teeth from the first stick, the effects will start to be noticeable after a few weeks or months. You can sense the unpleasant breath smell very early on, even after a few days. After a month of continuously smoking, the white-pearl natural colour of the teeth will start yellowing.
The smoke will prevent your blood flow from circulating properly by shrinking the blood vessel in your gum and can cause gum health problems in the first few years. You will start to visit your dentist more often than you should if you are not a smoker.
Smoking doesn’t decay teeth as directly as sugary food, but tobacco’s chemicals alter the saliva flow. Over the years, plaque and tartar buildup can cause tooth decay. Depending on your oral hygiene habits, tooth decay will result in tooth loss sooner or later.
A study found that smokers can lose up to three teeth in ten years. After decades of active smoking, the chemical particles can easily double the number of tooth loss. Nothing good comes from smoking as it attacks every part of your mouth. In the long run, this unhealthy habit will cost you money and, more importantly, your overall body and teeth health.
Conclusion
Please don’t wait until it’s too late to quit smoking. Cut the toxic substances off of your daily intake before they take your teeth from you. Reducing cigarette consumption might delay the side effects. Still, we suggest you quit smoking if you care about your teeth’ health.
It is best to visit your dentists regularly for a dental check-up and a complete mouth examination to spot any early conditions, especially if you are a smoker. At Eastman Dental, our dentists will perform regular examinations to ensure your teeth, gums, and the whole mouth are healthy. The dental team will also examine the cheeks, tongue and throat for any signs of other conditions if necessary. If you need advice about your oral health, make an appointment as soon as you can.