Smoking is one of the hardest habits to kick! Cigarette smoke has 7,000 chemicals with more than 70 of which can cause cancer. Smoking will also be the cause of one out of three of all cancer deaths and can cause oral health problems and gum disease.
The hookah pipe was introduced in the 1500s in the Mideast. Tobacco is heated and the smoke passes through the tobacco to water, which bubbles into a vapor that users inhale. Unfortunately, the common perception is that the water in the hookah will filter out harmful chemicals. In reality, during a one-hour hookah session a person inhales as much smoke as 100 cigarettes.
The electronic cigarette
There has been great debate as to the efficacy of these products as a tobacco cessation aid as well as its safety. In addition, there is also the fear that this product may entice young people to use it, and then go on to using more dangerous tobacco products, given the sky rocketing rise in the prevalence of its use in middle and high school students.
Impact on Oral Health
Tobacco use is associated with many oral pathologies including cleft lip and palate formation, dental caries, periodontal diseases, implant failure, and oral cancer.
Dental Caries
There is a higher incidence of dental caries seen in those using tobacco products as there is an increased acidity seen in the oral cavity.
Gum Disease
Smoking decreases the blood supply to the gum tissue and thus increases your risk for gum disease. In addition, it was also demonstrated that quitting smoking reduced the risk of periodontitis.
Dental Implants
Smoking is a risk factor for the destruction of soft and hard tissue that supports the teeth, it is agreed that smoking increases the risk of dental implant failure due to a decrease in blood flow to the bone and gums.
Oral Cancer
The risk of developing oral cancer is much greater in tobacco users than in non-users as approximately 75% of all people getting oral cancer use tobacco. The combination of tobacco and alcohol use increases the odds even further.
Cessation Approaches
Many people have tried quitting smoking with some success, whether its usings patches, lozenges, gum, medication. A word of caution about electronic cigarettes though is that it may help reduce the amount of harmful effects of the smoke from cigarettes, but studies have shown that the concentration of nicotine is higher and causes more of an addiction to the nicotine. In addition, the concentration is not well quantified depending on where you may purchase the products from.
If you’ve kicked the smoking habit, then why not reward yourself with a teeth whitening procedure? Schedule a consultation with Fort Lauderdale dentist Dr. Charmaine Johnson at the Premier Smile Center.
