Surely you have seen, read or heard repeatedly that “smoking seriously harms the health”. But are you aware of how this habit affects the health of your teeth and gums?
About 30% of the adult population is a smoker. It is the first foreseeable cause of premature death in the world.
Several studies have shown that smokers have a higher risk of suffering from different pathologies. The oral cavity, being the area of smoke entrance to the rest of the body, is one of the most affected parts.
Tobacco accounts for 80% of cases of oral cancer. This is due to the fact that smoking patients have, in a high percentage, predisposition to suffer from this oral pathology. The carcinogenic elements of tobacco increase the chances of developing this type of tumors in different areas of the oral cavity.
Smoking causes inflammation of the gums, promoting the development of different periodontal diseases: gingivitis and periodontitis. Cigarettes are made with substances that are extremely harmful to the gums.
The chemical substances that make up tobacco, such as nicotine and tar, when in contact with saliva, cause the discoloration of the teeth, covering the teeth with yellow spots.
One of the most common pathologies that develops in smoking patients is halitosis (bad breath). It is essential to establish a correct daily oral hygiene if we want to prevent this oral problem from manifesting in our oral cavity.
In addition, tobacco reduces the immune capacity of the mouth, favoring the formation of bacterial plaque. This makes our teeth more exposed to tartar build up.