Articles

by Holly Clegg

Doctors and oncologists have been warning for years of the risk of smoking. Cigarette smoking is already linked to cancer, heart disease, breathing problems, diabetes and premature babies in women. However, as dentists will tell you, the one risk area that often gets overlooked is the mouth, probably the most directly affected part of the body. Smoking can lead to tooth loss and severe periodontal problems, as well as oral cancer.

A study of the teeth of 13,650 adults conducted by The Journal of Periodontology revealed that the risk of advanced periodontal disease was four times higher in smokers than in non-smokers.

The same research undertook a comparative analysis on the number of cigarettes smoked per day and its relation to periodontitis; shocking results showed that even people smoking less than half a pack per day had THREE times more risk of contracting periodontitis than non-smokers.

The lead researcher of this survey, Doctor Scott Tomar, also found that smokers consuming a pack or more per day were six times more likely to run the risk. Nevertheless, he expressed hope that quitting could gradually minimize the ill effects of tobacco on periodontal health.

All oral health specialists, from a general dentist to an oral surgeon, agree that smoking pipes and cigars could result to similar periodontal problems and tooth loss as cigarette smoking. In fact, current cigar, cigarette and pipe smokers all face a higher risk of moderate to acute periodontitis than former smokers, as well as non-smokers.

Doctor Jasim Albandar (D.D.S. Ph.D., professor of periodontology at Temple University School of Dentistry) is of the opinion that both cigarette and cigar addicts also face greater chances of alveolar bone loss and missing teeth.

The adverse effects of smoking extend beyond problems of oral health. Editor of the Journal of Periodontology, Doctor Robert Genco explained that cigarette smoking could interrupt and retard healing procedure by cutting down oxygen and nutrient supply to the gingival tissue. Moreover, smokers experience impaired body immunity because they are more prone to infections like periodontal diseases.

Doctor Michael P. Rethman, the President of the American Academy of Periodontology said that if a patient does not give up smoking while undergoing any surgical or non-surgical periodontal therapy, his oral surgeon would not be able to bring an encouraging outcome. He further emphasized that smoking an average of 10 to 20 cigarettes per day could affect a person’s response to oral therapies significantly, as opposed to non-smokers who show signs of fast improvement.

According to Doctor Rethman, if a patient wants to improve his oral health by quitting cigarettes, he needs to ask his general dentist to increase brushing and flossing. The refreshing and clean feeling that the patient can get after cleansing his mouth thoroughly can hold back his tendency to smoke and keep periodontal diseases at bay.

The risk of periodontal diseases seems nothing when compared to chances of contracting oral cancer due to smoking. If you ask any cancer doctor at the American Cancer Society, he will tell you that more than 31,000 Americans face the risk of oral cancer every year. Out of these cancer patients, 90% are found to be smokers with oral cancer affecting the mouth, tongue, lips, and throat. In fact, not just smoking, tobacco consumed in any form could heighten the risk of oral cancer.

Studies prove that pipe and cigar smokers who also consume alcohol face a greater risk of oral cancer. The American Cancer Society research results say that 37% of those patients who went back to their smoking habits after an apparent cancer cure could go on to develop oral tumors that only an oncologist can handle.

Even if smokers are lucky enough to avoid disease, it is unlikely they can avoid the embarrassing bad breath and stained teeth that come with smoking too.

If you want to kick the smoking habit, you could opt for various treatment options like acupuncture and hypnosis.

To know more about smoking cessation classes, support groups and the most suitable treatment for quitting smoking, visit http://hbconnection.com.

This article expires on August 13, 2014