Smoking and Your Mouth

Nowadays, everybody is more aware that smoking is bad for our health. It can cause many different medical problems and, in some cases, fatal diseases. However, many people don’t realise the damage that smoking does to their mouth, teeth and gums, due to its contribution to tooth staining, gum disease, tooth loss and in more severe cases mouth cancer.

One of the effects of smoking is dark staining on the teeth due to the nicotine and tar content of cigarettes. It can make the teeth yellow in colour, and heavy smokers often complain that their teeth are almost brown after years of smoking.

Smoking can also lead to gum disease. Patients who smoke are much more likely to produce bacterial plaque, which leads to gum disease. The gums are affected because smoking restricts the oxygen in the bloodstream, so the infected gums fail to heal and progresses more rapidly. Gum disease still remains the most common cause of tooth loss in adults.

Oral cancer, which includes cancers of the lips, tongue, cheeks, floor of the mouth, hard and soft palate, sinuses, and pharynx (throat), can be caused by smoking. These cancers can be life threatening if not diagnosed and treated early.

It is important that you visit a dentist regularly both for a full mouth examination. Make an appointment with your dentist in Buckinghamshire so that any conditions can be spotted early.