{"id":1151,"date":"2021-12-01T21:41:35","date_gmt":"2021-12-01T21:41:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mydentalpracticeblog.com\/graystonedental\/dental-care-blog\/smoking-and-vaping-versus-dental-health\/"},"modified":"2021-12-02T19:20:22","modified_gmt":"2021-12-02T19:20:22","slug":"smoking-and-vaping-versus-dental-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mydentalpracticeblog.com\/graystonedental\/dental-care-blog\/smoking-and-vaping-versus-dental-health\/","title":{"rendered":"Smoking and Vaping Versus Dental Health"},"content":{"rendered":"

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A SMOKING HABIT<\/b> damages every organ and system in the body, including teeth and gums. We usually think of lung cancer first when it comes to the harm smoking can do, but it can cause a wide variety of problems for oral health.<\/p>\n

Tobacco and Oral Cancer<\/h3>\n

Four out of every five people diagnosed with oral cancer either smoke or chew tobacco. The early symptoms of oral cancer include unusual white patches in the mouth, persistent mouth sores or pain, numbness, swelling, difficulty chewing and swallowing, and the sensation of having something stuck in the throat. The dentist is a key figure in early detection of oral cancer.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A Strange Effect of Smoking: Smoker\u2019s Keratosis<\/h3>\n

In some cases, a smoking habit can cause white patches to develop on the roof of the mouth. They typically aren\u2019t painful, but they can be pre-cancerous.<\/strong> These patches are smoker\u2019s keratosis (or stomatitis nicotina), and the condition is still a mysterious one. The prevailing theory is that the white patches are the result of inflamed mucous glands.<\/p>\n

The Risk of Gum Disease Goes Up for Smokers<\/h3>\n

Up to half of all adults over 30 have some level of gum disease, but a smoking habit both doubles the risk of developing it and makes it harder to treat. Untreated gum disease can lead to serious damage to the gum tissue, bone loss in the jaw, and loss of teeth. Particularly severe cases can even be life-threatening<\/strong> if the oral bacteria reach the bloodstream through the inflamed gums.<\/p>\n

Vaping: Not Really Safer<\/h3>\n

Vaping and e-cigarettes tend to be portrayed as a healthier alternative to smoking, but the vapor still contains ultra-fine toxic chemicals, heavy metals, and nicotine<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Nicotine, no matter how it is packaged, reduces blood flow, which can affect the teeth and gums by making the gum tissue less healthy. Gum recession and tissue death can result. It also reduces saliva production, leading to dry mouth (which comes with a wide array of problems from bad breath to tooth decay), and it can trigger teeth grinding, which damages teeth.<\/p>\n