No matter what kind of tobacco you use, the truth is that regular exposure to tobacco can negatively affect your health. This does not only mean your overall health, but your oral health as well. Some effects might be considered minimal, such as bad breath or discolored teeth, but some outcomes can be fatal such as oral cancer.

Statistics
The most serious danger to your oral health from tobacco use is cancer. The American Cancer Society reports that 90 percent of oral cancer patients have used some form of tobacco. The death rate of patients with this type of cancer is high, making it between 40-50 percent of all cases. The risk for oral cancer is six times higher for smokers than non-smokers. A person’s individual risk increases with the length of time the person has used tobacco products.

Periodontal disease
Gum disease, whether it’s the beginning stage called gingivitis or the advanced stage called periodontitis, can be caused by tobacco use. Your gums may become tender, inflamed, red, painful, and bleed. Bone loss is a potential outcome because the bone supporting your tooth roots can deteriorate, as well as tooth loss. Studies have shown that smoking is linked to over 50 percent of periodontal disease cases.

Type of tobacco
There are oral health risks with any form of tobacco, whether it is smoked, inhaled, or chewed. It is considered to be a myth that chewing tobacco carries less risk than smoking, and pipe smokers are even at risk from holding the pipe in the same location on the lip over and over.

Tips for protection
The most obvious suggestion for lowering your oral health risk is to quit smoking. The longer you remain off of tobacco, the lower your risk gets. Brushing and flossing properly is another way to avoid tooth decay and gum disease. Tobacco users must be especially careful to perform hygiene tasks properly because of the damage that heat and carcinogens in tobacco can do to your mouth and gums. Regular dental checkups are very important, because early detection of problems makes a huge difference in treatment and recovery.

Dr. Cruz offers dental care for the entire family in the Toronto area.