Do you smoke? Many people don't realize how much smoking harms their mouth. It's more than just bad breath. Smoking can seriously affect your teeth and gums.
Here's the truth about smoking and your mouth:
- Gum Problems: Smoking is one of the biggest causes of gum disease. It makes your gums weak and easy to get infected. This can make your teeth loose and even fall out. The research shows that smoking can make it three times harder for your gums to heal, even after a dentist cleans them.
- Oral Cancer Risk: Smoking greatly increases your chances of getting oral cancer. This is a very serious disease. If you smoke, it's important to visit the dentist regularly for checkups so they can examine your mouth for any signs of trouble.
- Slow Healing: Smoking makes it harder for your mouth to heal after dental work. This means if you need a tooth pulled or any other procedure, it will take longer to get better, and there's a higher chance of problems.
- Tooth Appearance and Taste: Smoking stains your teeth yellow and brown. It can also dull your sense of taste, so you might not enjoy your food as much.
- Dental Implants: If you're thinking about getting dental implants, smoking makes it much harder for them to be successful. Smoking can prevent the implant from attaching properly to your jawbone, and it might fail.
For more on stains, gum trouble and the steps that help, read how smoking affects your teeth and gums.
Quitting smoking makes a big difference.
- Healthier Gums: When you quit smoking, your gums can become strong and healthy again. This helps you keep your teeth for longer.
- Reduced Cancer Risk: Quitting smoking lowers your risk of getting oral cancer.
- Faster Healing: If you quit smoking, your mouth will heal much faster after any dental work.
- Brighter Smile and Better Taste: Quitting smoking can make your teeth whiter and help you enjoy the taste of your food again.
What can we do as your dentist?
- Regular Checkups: We'll examine your teeth, gums, cheeks, tongue, and throat to make sure everything is healthy and to find any potential problems early on.
- Extra Help: We may recommend you for extra cleaning and more frequent checkups to keep your mouth healthy.
Come see us
We can help you understand how smoking is affecting your mouth. Come see us at The Smile Super Speciality Dental Clinic. We'll work with you to keep your smile healthy and happy.
