Cigarettes & Your Teeth

It’s no secret that smoking isn’t good for your physical or oral health. Yet, many people continue to smoke. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), almost 40 million adults in the U.S. smoke cigarettes. An additional 4.7 million school-age students also smoke tobacco products. Smoking can wreak havoc on your oral health. It can cause several dental issues, including tooth discoloration, bad breath, increased plaque, tartar buildup, inflammation, bone loss, gum disease, and more. This article will explore the relationship between smoking and your teeth.

Gum Disease

When it comes to smoking and your teeth, one of the most common complications is gum disease. Gum disease is also the leading cause of tooth loss. In addition to gum disease being more common in cigarette smokers, the progression of gum disease is faster. Once you already have gum damage, cigarettes and smoking make it harder for your gums to heal and fight off the infection.

Tooth Discoloration

Amongst other smoking and teeth concerns, cigarettes are also bad for the appearance of your teeth. The nicotine and tar from cigarettes can seep into the cracks in your tooth enamel and stain your teeth. These become a fixture and cannot be removed via brushing. Additionally, nicotine and tar also increase the plaque and tartar buildup on your teeth.

Delayed Healing

Whether it’s Newington dental extractions or Newington dental implants, cigarettes make it much harder for the body to heal after these procedures. Therefore, chronic smokers face a longer healing time from surgeries and are more likely to suffer from infections.

In addition to practicing good oral hygiene, such as brushing twice a day and using floss, it’s important to schedule regular checkups with your Newington dentist. This is especially important if you smoke and your teeth require extra care such as deep cleaning, tartar removal, and prescription medicine and rinses.

If you’re in the Portsmouth, NH area, don’t hesitate to reach out to Dr. Kate Wilson at Coastal Periodontics. Whether you need bone grafting or dental extractions, she can help with all your dental needs. Call Coastal Periodontics at 603-427-8383 or reach out to us here.