It is unmistakably clear that smoking is bad for you. While most of the warnings regarding smoking focus on your health and the link between cancer and tobacco use, our cosmetic dentist have their own reasons to urge you to quit lighting up. Have you ever wondered how smoking directly affects your teeth and oral health?
Smoking can cause serious damage to your-
- Teeth
- Gums
- Mouth
If you are trying to quit or contemplating whether or not quitting is worth the struggle and effort, we want you to consider how smoking affects your teeth. More importantly, we want you to consider how it negatively impacts your oral health (along with your sex life) because who really thinks smoking and stained teeth with bad breath is attractive?
Staining of Your Pearly Whites is Inevitable
At Dr. Patty’s Dental Boutique and Spa, we know a thing (or five) about how to keep your smile healthy and attractive. We will be quick to point out that smoking cigarettes will lead to nicotine build-up which causes yellow staining on your teeth. While you may think that brushing your teeth can combat this discoloration, this is simply not the case. If you want to continue with the habit, you will need to visit our cosmetic dentist for more frequent cleanings and in addition to that, you will want to take advantage of our KoR teeth whitening procedure. On the other hand, the best strategy would be to switch from smoker to former smoker.
Combating Bad Breath
If you are trying to create a positive first impression, bad breath may make that a bit difficult. The worst part about being a smoker is that you don’t smell how bad your breath is. The American Dental Association along with our cosmetic dentist want you to be aware that bad breath is a very common side effect of smoking which you can read more about by clicking here. The reason you don’t actually notice your bad breath is because smoking diminishes your ability to taste as well as smell. You can combat your bad breath by nixing the cigarettes and scheduling your teeth cleaning before you leave a smelly (and bad) first impression. Our favorite mouth rinse to recommend to our clients that smoke is a prescription rinse called Breath RX.
Gum Disease Risk is Increased as a Smoker
An infection of the gums is known as gingivitis at the first level and then periodontal (or gum) disease at the second level. This is caused by bacteria that lingers in your mouth and forms tartar and plaque underneath the gum line. If you avoid treatment of gum disease, it can lead to loss of your teeth along with tremendous pain. Smokers have the double the risk of periodontal disease than someone who doesn’t smoke. Even worse, the more you smoke (or use other forms of tobacco), the higher your risk of getting gum disease is.
Smoking weakens your immune system and this makes it harder for your body to fight off germs, especially the germs in your mouth. Watch out for the following symptoms of gum disease:
- Painful chewing
- Sensitive or lose teeth
- Swollen, red, or tender gums
- Gums that are bleeding or have pus
- Gums that have pulled away from teeth
- Receding gums
- Pain or bleeding when brushing
- Bumps on the gum
Smoking tobacco slows down the healing process within your body. This makes it harder to fight off gum disease. You may notice that it takes you longer to recover from simple procedures such as tooth extractions, surgery, or root canals. You can avoid the extra pain and downtime by quitting smoking, one cigarette at a time.
Oral Cancer Chances are Increased with Each Puff
While you may think that smoking only increases your chance of lung cancer, you are also increasing your chance of oral cancer with each cigarette. Oral cancer includes:
- Lips
- Tongue
- Throats
- Cheeks
- Sinuses
- Hard Palate
- Soft Palate
- Floor of mouth
These are all deadly if not caught and treated in a timely fashion. All clients should have an annual oral cancer screening with a device that may be able to see early cancerous lesions that your dentist may not see with their naked eye. Smokers are six times more likely to experience oral cancer than a non-smoker. It should be noted that there has been a rise is oral cancer due to HPV. So if you smoke and have HPV, you have increased risk of oral cancer. During your visit at our dental boutique and spa in Fort Lauderdale, we can run oral cancer screenings as a preventative measure.
Quit the Habit and Visit our Dental Boutique and Spa Today!
With the increased potential for bad breath, yellow stained teeth, possibility of tooth loss, oral cancer, and painful gum disease, smoking is more than just a gross habit. It is actually quite a huge threat to your oral health. If you are a smoker and you are looking for a little motivation to help you quit, think about your mouth and teeth and how they are affected. Think about what your partner tastes and smells with each kiss. Think about how much better your sex life would be if you had better breath and whiter teeth.
To learn more about how to protect your teeth and smile, schedule a complimentary consultation at our dental boutique and spa. We will give you personalized treatment that you deserve while using our state-of-the-art technology. We look forward to hearing from you and helping you create an attractive, sexy smile.