Smoking and oral health: effects on teeth

The effects of tobacco on the mouth are completely harmful and, unfortunately, it is an unpleasant and recurring vice among people. Not in vain according to health statistics, in Spain more than 50,000 people die a year for this cause.

The most prominent health effects of smoking are respiratory, cardiovascular and pulmonary problems, but another of the damage we pay little attention to is the serious danger our teeth face from smoking.

Many are the effects of tobacco on the mouth, among them the so-called “smoker’s teeth.” This condition deteriorates teeth and gums both aesthetically and physically. Therefore, this article aims to show how smoking affects your teeth. We want nothing more but to promote knowledge for the total elimination of this terrible evil for our mouths. So take a look!

Oral health and smoking

Tobacco in any way, be it industrial, roll tobacco or chewing tobacco, is totally counterproductive both for our oral health and for our body in general. Together, it increases the possibility of other discomforts and sufferings.

At the oral level, tobacco is a direct entry for about 4,000 toxins that can attack the whole body, starting with the mouth and teeth (their direct contact). Among the most serious (other than those we know as nicotine) we have:

• Carbon monoxide.
• Hydrogen and aldehyde cyanide.

All these deadly components If we don't eliminate it, it will cause irreversible long-term damage. And as a result it brings very serious diseases such as oral cancer.

Note that according to statistics from the World Health Organization (WHO), in Spain about 30% of the largest population is a frequent smoker, and it is not a figure to be happy but to be alarmed.

That is why (to raise awareness) there is a world day without tobacco, which is celebrated to remember its adverse consequences and the importance of maintaining good oral health.

Effects of smoking on oral health

The effects of smoking on the teeth can negatively affect the quality of life of smokers. This is not only at the level of the teeth but also on the gums, oral hygiene and the outside of the mouth.

There are many pathologies that present the so-called smoker teeth and the most common ones are mentioned below.

Halitosis

Halitosis or bad breath is an uncomfortable problem for those who suffer from it. Cigars contain substances such as tar, which add to others (and to mouth conditions) aggravate an original problem that might have regarding breath.

Within the components of tobacco are nicotine or tar, which are kept in contact with the teeth, tongue, mucous membranes and tongue of smoking people. These trigger the so-called halitosis or in simpler words “bad breath”. Normally, the smoker does not distinguish that it has a bad smell, but the people around and even other smokers, will notice it.

This effect occurs since tobacco smoke decreases saliva. Something we notice exists but we do not know its main function: to rinse the mouth cleaning it and avoiding the reproduction of bacteria.

For this reason the absence of saliva will delay the regulation of PH, thus increasing the risk of halitosis. In addition to this, the smell of tobacco and dryness also produces irritation of the mouth mucosa and airways. Therefore, oxygenation is affected also producing bad breath.

Dental dyschromia

Have you seen a smoker and noticed that he has a different color of teeth? Well it is what is known as dental staining or dyschromia. Dental dyschromia is a physiological or pathological alteration of the “normal” color of teeth. And it is not something fixed, but dyschromia has classification, among which we can mention:

• Intrinsic dyschromia, which is the product of general organic processes.
• Extrinsic type dyschromia, which usually appears on the dental surface by the formation of pigment deposits that change color. Here smoking (nicotin and tar) comes in as one of the most important causes. Even, these substances can penetrate the internal tubules, triggering dark or black pigmentation.

Loss of taste and smell

As we have already mentioned, nicotine affects not only bad breath but also blood circulation. A decrease in this factor affects the entry of blood to taste buds, which widen the sensation of taste.

If this organ does not work properly, the smoker without proper functioning of these organs loses the taste on food. Likewise it happens with odors.

On the other hand, the American Dental Association (ADA) has shown that the effects of tobacco progressively reduce the perception of both flavours and smells. This is much more noticeable with salty foods.

The loss of taste results in a great danger to the health of the smoker, since they do not distinguish if a meal is little or very salty. As a result, it can trigger increases in blood pressure.

Probability of suffering periodontitis

The habit of tobacco not only triples the risk of periodontitis and that this condition progresses rapidly. Smoking influences the delay of its diagnosis; this happens because tobacco acts as a vasoconstrictor. That is, it decreases the blood supply in the gums that causes a pale appearance and inflammation of what they are indeed.

Therefore, periodontitis or pyorrhea in an inflammation of the gums that is caused by plaque buildup. It also carries a definitive loss of bone, which acts as a tooth-sink. Together, smokers produce a greater accumulation of dental calculus than a non-smoker.

Caries

Smoking is synonymous with poor dental health that influences the appearance of caries in dental roots. The highest number of aggressive bacteria and plaque proliferation occur in smokers, rather than in non-smokers.

Pathogens that originate are born in areas where daily brushing does not come well. Moreover, this habit is associated with lack of oral hygiene and poor eating habits that promote the risk of caries. Examples are the abundant consumption of drinks and foods rich in refined carbohydrates.

Therefore, if the cavities are not treated they can spread and damage the deeper layers of the teeth. The consequences are symptoms such as acute toothache and severe infections, resulting in loss of teeth.

Delayed healing of internal wounds

The toxins that tobacco carries with it cause the spread of bacteria in the mouth. The presence of these bacteria causes the mouth wounds not to heal properly. They can even aggravate them and lead to more serious consequences and probably increasing the pain.

According to studies, any delay in the healing of oral internal wounds is due to the fact that tobacco causes inhibition of oral leukocytes. It has also been proven that smoking is linked to the deterioration of immunity and the mechanisms of defense of neutrophils and macrophages. The latter are a type of white blood cell that are found in the blood and intervene in organic defenses.

Oral cancer

One of the worst consequences of smoking. The development of oral cancer in smokers increases by up to 5 times more compared to non-smokers. The likelihood of developing it increases further if this habit is accompanied by alcoholism.

Alcohol helps permeate the mucous membranes, causing the cancerous substances to be stored in them. Oral cancer usually occurs in white forms in various oral regions, including tongue, gums, inner face of cheeks, palate and lips. One of the European countries with the highest rate of oral cancer is Spain.

How should a smoker take care of his or her oral health?

Are you a smoker? Well, you have to take extra care to avoid problems with your dental health. The best option is to leave this bad habitBut knowing how complicated the subject is, we'll give you some recommendations to look after your teeth if you're a smoker:

• Use brush and floss more often, being a minimum of 3 times a day you should apply it. Smoking has turned out to be such a harmful vice that there are more residues after smoking than after eating.
• Apply mouthwash at least twice a day, which thanks to the fluoride it contains, strengthens the dental structure and takes care of the enamel.
• While chewing gum is a habit that is regulated in non-smokers, in smokers it is recommended to keep the saliva flow constant and avoid dry mouth.
• Take water frequently to avoid dryness as well.
• It is recommended to visit the dentist frequently to solve any problems, especially aesthetic ones.

Tips for smokers

From ODONTOFAMILY we recommend you to leave the tobacco so that your physical and oral health improves in all the senses. With us you will be able to follow your oral health, with the most suitable treatments and the best dental cleaning. What do you expect for contact us?