If you are a smoker, you already know the habit can take a terrible toll on your health and well-being. But many people who smoke are not aware of all the other ways that nicotine affects oral health.
One way your oral health is affected is tooth staining, a fact that every smoker is well aware of. Over time, nicotine will discolor all your teeth and leave them with unattractive brown staining.
The Effects of Smoking on Your Oral Health
Unfortunately, however, there are other significant oral health problems like chronic gum disease that are the result of tobacco use. As your family dentist in Gaithersburg, Dr. Neil Daftary wants you to be informed about any of your habits that can impact your oral health.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), there are several ways smoking damages your oral health:
- Of all adults who smoke, about half have gum disease
- Using tobacco products results in a weakened immune system and makes it harder to fight infections like gum disease
- Smoking reduces the effectiveness of gum disease treatment
- If you use tobacco products, you are at twice the risk for tooth loss as non-smokers
Steps You Can Take
As your family dentist in Gaithersburg, MD, it’s not our job to lecture you about your smoking habit. But we can give you tips for better managing your oral health and reducing the damage done by using tobacco products.
If you’re a smoker and would like to do everything you can to protect your oral health, please call Lakeforest Dental Smiles to arrange an appointment. We won’t judge you about your habit – we just want to make sure we are taking every step necessary to ensure that your smile is as healthy as it can be.
