Our Mission Statement • Dental Health News

Dental Health News

Smoking & Oral Health Smoking can be extremely harmful to your oral health. So if you're looking for a few more good reasons to quit, consider that smoking can cause cancer of the mouth, pharynx, larynx and the esophagus. Smokers have a significantly higher risk of developing oral cancer than nonsmokers. Unless diagnosed early, oral cancer may require extensive, often disfiguring surgery.

Other Consequences

Smokers are more likely to have periodontal (gum) disease - and to have it more severely - than nonsmokers. Gum disease is a leading cause of tooth loss in adults. Smokers also have larger deposits of calculus (tartar) on their teeth than nonsmokers.

Smoking stains teeth, tooth restorations and the tongue. It causes bad breath and dulls the ability to taste and smell. Tobacco smoke can irritate tissues in the mouth and delay tissue healing after a tooth extraction or oral surgery.Dentists are trained to diagnose the effects of tobacco, such as cancer in the mouth. If you notice any of these warning signs, see your dentist immediately:

• A red sore on your lips, gums or inside your mouth that does not heal within two weeks and may bleed easily.

• White, scaly patches (leukoplakia) inside your mouth or on your lips.

• Swelling or lumps in your mouth, neck, lips or on your tongue.

• Numbness or pain in your mouth or throat without any obvious cause.

• Repeated bleeding in your mouth without any obvious cause.

• Difficulty chewing or swallowing food.

• Difficulty moving your tongue or jaw.

A Reminder:

IF YOU DON'T SMOKE, DON'T START. There might be plenty of excuses to start smoking, but you'll never find a good reason. IF YOU SMOKE NOW, YOU CAN STOP.

Our Mission Statement • Dental Health News