How Tobacco Use Affects Your Oral Health
The warnings about the effect of tobacco use on your overall health are widely known, often emphasized in ad campaigns today, but tobacco use can be specifically detrimental to your oral health in ways you may not know. Working with a great dentist is the best way to recover from issues you may have due to extensive tobacco use, which can be fairly widespread.
In fact, some experts believe that many common oral health issues are much more likely in smokers and tobacco users. This includes:
- Periodontal (gum) disease: Gum disease is more common in smokers, and it often progresses more quickly. Tobacco can actually directly affect the bone and soft tissue attached to your teeth.
- Discolored teeth: This is a very common and more widely known side effect of tobacco use. You may notice a yellow tint to your teeth if you are a tobacco user.
- Increased plaque build-up: Many experts believe that smoking can increase the speed at which your teeth build up tartar, which eventually can turn into hard plaque.
- Increased risk of oral cancer: Tobacco use is actually the cause of over 80% of all cases of oral cancer, and smoking can drastically increase your risk of developing the disease.
- Extended healing time for extractions: Because of the bone and tissue deterioration that can come with smoking, some patients have a prolonged healing time after extractions and other procedures.
- Bad breath: Another common symptom of smoking, chronic bad breath is very widespread in smokers.
Visit Your Dentist in Royal Oak, MI for Treatment
Tobacco use can be detrimental in several areas of your health, and in so many ways to your dental health directly. However, if you’ve suffered damage to your mouth from tobacco, visiting an experienced dentist for treatment is the best way to regain a healthy smile!
At Family Dentistry of Royal Oak, we offer a wide array of services to help treat damage caused by extensive tobacco use. If you have any questions about how our experienced staff can help you, give us a call or send an email today for more information. We look forward to creating a customized treatment plan for all of your needs!