HOW DOES CIGARETTE SMOKING AFFECTS ORAL HEALTH

Smoking cigarettes not only affects our teeth and gums, but also is responsible to cause multiple malignancies in other parts of human body including pharynx, Lungs, esophagus, reproductive system, etc.

Researches show that smoking leads to alteration of genes that may affect our health, causes risk of cancer or diabetes.

 

There are thousands of chemicals released in a cigarette smoke in which some of the main harmful contents are nicotine, carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide, ammonia, acetone and much more. 

HOW SMOKING AFFECTS ORAL HEALTH 

 

Smoking contributes to periodontitis by decreasing the production of saliva and By damaging bodies ability to fight of infection (decreases immune response).

• Stains 

It is very common side effects of smoking, due to the tar, nicotine and tobacco.

It can turn your teeth brown or yellow very quickly and for long term Smokers stains can become permanent and can penetrate enamel layer too. 

• Bad breath

Even after you brush or floss the smell of cigarettes lingers in mouth. In addition to bad breath smokers also find that they have diminished taste sensation.

• Gingivitis /periodontitis

Gum diseases are also very prevalent in smokers and are one of most common reason of tooth loss and irritation in the mouth. It decreases the oxygen going to the tissue causing irritation and inflammation inside the mouth.When the bacterias enters your mouth like they normally do, they have an easier time to build up and cause problems in gums, bones, and structures supporting tooth. It promotes plaque formation and over time the gum starts pulling away from teeth. This forms spaces in between your gums and tooth and this can become even more infection.

Smoking also delays your body healing time especially after tooth extraction,or any injury happened inside mouth.

• Oral cancer

It can occur anywhere inside mouth such as lips, tongue, cheeks, palate. People who smokes have five to six times higher chance of developing oral cancers.

Precancerous lesions like leukoplakia, keratotic patches, black hairy tongue, Leukoedema, nicotinic stomatitis(smokers palate) are some of the early signs of oral cancer.

If you notice any kind of abnormalities like ulcer or any lesions in mouth,then you should contact your dentist or any general practitioner.

HOW YOU CAN QUIT SMOKING HABITS!

It's a bit difficult to quit smoking for someone who is addicted, as nicotine is a very addictive substance

When we inhale, nicotine quickly reaches the brain, releases dopamine and other feel good chemicals into brain cells receptors, which creates more and more nicotine receptors in the brain, when these are starved, you go through intense withdrawal, which leads to depression and tension until you gets your next source to fix it. 

So the basic trick is to gradually give your brain less and less nicotine, which is where the highly advertised treatment of NRT comes into play. 

There are several nicotine replacement products such as nicotine chewing gums, patches, nasal sprays, etc. which can help you to break this habit to an extent but it's you who should control your habits by changing your mind set.

Nicotine replacements do not contain any of the harmful toxins or cancer causing agents contained as in cigarettes.

Researches shows that using a combination of nicotine replacement therapies is much more effective and proven way than using a single NRT product.

"The goal of Nicotine Replacement Therapy's is to reduce the withdrawal symptoms faced by the smokers when he/she quits the habit"

~Dr.Sibin Boas