Smoking is declining in popularity, with only around 11% of UK adults regularly smoking cigarettes. This could be down to improved education around the potential impact on our health. It could also be down to government interventions to make smoking less accessible, such as by banning smoking in indoor public spaces.
Quitting smoking not only helps to improve your wider health, but it can also have a huge impact on your oral health. Smoking leads to dental stains and can also aggravate conditions such as gum disease. In the long term, it can lead to tooth loss due to advanced periodontal disease.
Dentists will always recommend quitting smoking for your oral health, but it can be difficult to communicate the short term and long term impact of these habits. In this guide, we will look at the potential health outcomes linked to long-term smoking. This information could help to inform your decision to quit. If you do decide to quit smoking, your dentist can offer guidance and support to help you in this journey.
How does smoking impact your oral health?
Cigarettes contain a cocktail of chemicals and toxins that can have a direct impact on your oral health. Perhaps the most obvious impact is in the appearance of your teeth, which will become stained with nicotine, which turns them brown. This staining can only be removed by professional cleaning and cannot be removed by brushing at home.
Smoking also reduces the amount of saliva in your mouth, which can lead to dry mouth. Saliva is essential for neutralising acid in your mouth from food and drink. Saliva also helps to flush away food debris following a meal. Without sufficient levels of saliva in your mouth, you will be at increased risk of developing gum disease and tooth decay.
Smoking and periodontal disease
Smoking creates the ideal conditions for periodontal disease (gum disease) to thrive. We often think of gum disease as being purely cosmetic and it might lead to slightly red gums and bleeding when we brush, but the long-term impact is far greater.
Gum disease is inflammation of the gum tissue, which can cause gum recession, which in turn can allow infection to spread to the supporting structures holding your teeth in place. Left untreated, this will result in tooth loss.
Smoking can aggravate and accelerate this condition. First, smoking reduces oxygen in your blood, which can lead to poor wound healing. This means that your gums won’t recover from damage as quickly as they should.
Smoking and oral cancer
Another risk associated with smoking is the increased risk of oral cancer. We often think of smoking being linked to lung cancer, but mouth cancer is another potential risk factor to consider.
If you do smoke, it’s essential to visit the dentist every 6 months as your routine checkup will also include oral cancer screening. It’s essential to be proactive to ensure that these issues can be caught early, as this could lead to improved outcomes.
Smoking and dental staining
As mentioned above, smoking reduces the saliva levels in your mouth, which can lead to a buildup of plaque and tartar on your teeth. Nicotine will deposit stains on your teeth and can turn plaque brown, which will leave you with a yellow or brown smile.
Smoking can also make your breath smell, even if you brush your teeth twice a day. The combination of dental staining, gum disease and dry mouth can lead to halitosis. This can make you very self conscious around others. Smokers often don’t know that their breath smells bad, because smoking dulls your sense of smell.
Benefits of quitting
Quitting smoking might be a difficult task, but help and support is available. You’ll experience benefits for your wider health, including improved fitness levels, and a reduced risk of developing life threatening conditions.
You’ll also see benefits for your oral health, such as improved gum health and an improved appearance in your smile. One step that can help you to quit smoking for good is to arrange a dental hygienist cleaning. This simple step can help you to commit to quitting for good, as you’ll want to keep your teeth looking healthy and bright.
If you’re in the process of quitting, book an appointment with our team to find out how your dental practice can support your goals.