What are the effects of chronic cigarette smoking on your teeth? Does subsequent brushing counteract or prevent these effects? Should you visit the dentist more if you are a chronic smoker? There are a lot of concerns that involve the effect of smoking on dental health. A lot of people don’t know much about this and so here we are to tell you more about it.
Tobacco
Smoking is the most common method of consuming tobacco while tobacco is the most common substance smoked. Smoking cigarettes, however, causes a wide range of bad effects on our body. The worst of which is the increased risk of developing cancer in the lungs. Many smokers smoke because of the perceived pleasure it brings. In this way, smoking acts as a positive reinforcement which offsets the unpleasant symptoms of initial use.
The Bad Effects
Smoking can lead to tooth staining, gum disease, tooth loss, and in severe cases, mouth cancer too. Smoking also interferes with the normal function of gums. This makes smokers more susceptible to infections, such as periodontal disease. A rare but serious effect is impairment of blood flow to the gums which may affect wound healing too. We can go on and on about the adverse effects but we do want you to finish reading this.
Brush Your Teeth
How should chronic smokers brush their teeth? Good news is that there are actually special toothpastes available for people who smoke. They are sometimes a little more abrasive than ordinary toothpastes so do use them with care. Your dentist may also recommend that you use these toothpastes alternately with your usual ones. In addition, chronic smokers are most likely to have bad breath too. To remedy this, fresh-breath products such as mouthwashes may help temporarily.
Visit Your Dentist
For the general population, it is best to come see their dentists every 6 months. However, chronic smokers will have to visit more often to improve their dental health. People with a high risk of acquiring dental diseases, especially those who smoke and have poor oral hygiene might need to visit every three or four months, or even more.
If All Else Fails, Quit.
The best piece of advice we can probably give you is to just quit smoking. You will see the difference in a week, not just on your teeth, but on your overall well-being.
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