Written by Diane Castillo on May 10, 2021

Smoking and Dental Health: What Smoking Does To Your Teeth

Whatever publication, news article, video, or advertisement you may see about smoking, you would not find anything that mentions any good effects that come from it. They say smoking weed or cigarettes can stain your teeth, make you develop bad breath, and other aesthetic issues.

There are certain health problems that you may encounter or increase your risk of developing once you start getting addicted to smoking. So, let’s find out once and for all what smoking does to your teeth and to your overall oral health. Please book an appointment at Southport Park Dental today if you want to achieve a healthier mouth if you’re a smoker.

Smoking 101: Its Benefits And Effects

Yes, you may really be familiar with how smoking destroys the body. But if this is true, why are there so many people who still smoke? We presume that the reason comes from the fact that they get a sense of ‘high’. There is somehow a silver lining for chain smokers, after all. Here are the good effects that smokers can get, which they can consider as health rewards of smoking.

Smoking lowers your risk of having knee replacement surgery.
Smokers would less likely to develop Parkinson’s disease.
Cigarette smoking lowers your risk of becoming morbidly obese
Smokers who have had heart attacks lower their risk of dying
Clopidogrel (Plavix) works well for smoking patients

We definitely accept the fact that these claims need further scientific and medical backup. But international universities, like the University of Adelaide in Australia, Harvard University, and Yale University, as well as publications like Neurology, Arthritis & Rheumatism, Physiology & Behavior, American Heart Journal, and the Thrombosis Research, have mentioned some observations and theories that can help support this health information.

What Smoking Does To Your Teeth and Overall Dental Health

Even if the earlier mentioned statements are true, no one can ever deny the health hazards that accompany smoking. Our mouth is one of the most affected and easily triggered body parts when it comes to getting the bad effects of smoking. Here are what smoking can do to your teeth as well as your overall oral health.

Teeth Discoloration

Imagine your teeth as pure, white porcelain. As you expose it to mud, ash, and other soil particles, you wouldn’t think it can retain its whiteness, right? The same goes for our teeth. Once the enamel, or the hard tooth surface, becomes in contact with nicotine and tar, it gradually loses its natural shine and whiteness. It also has minute holes and cracks, and these may trap the chemicals found in cigarettes that can cause teeth discoloration and staining.

You may find these substances difficult to remove and brush away. You will experience a build-up of plaque and tartar on your teeth because of the nicotine and tar in the cigarette. If you’re a chronic smoker, you will require teeth whitening to maintain a pearly white smile.

Dry Mouth

Ever noticed that your mouth feels sticky and dry during and after smoking? You may have developed cottonmouth, another layman’s term that they use for dry mouth. Xerostomia, defined by the American Dental Association (ADA), is the medical term of a dental concern when your mouth and salivary glands fail to produce enough saliva that keeps your mouth properly hydrated.

Smoking causes dry mouth as it restricts the normal blood flow around our body, including the gums and mouth. When we encounter a reduced blood flow in our mouth, it can lead to increasing our risk of developing or furthering gum disease and additional dental health issues. You may also develop mouth sores or ulcers, receding gums, and bad breath.

Tooth Decay

As the blood flow in your mouth continues to become restricted, it becomes easier for the bad bacteria to infest and reside on your teeth. Bad oral hygiene also adds to the equation. The bacteria that stick to the teeth slowly but more likely target the tooth roots, causing tooth decay and pain.

Even if you say that you stopped smoking and are only using vapes or other smoking paraphernalia, these smokeless tobacco products can still irritate the gum tissue, causing gums to loosen around teeth, and make it more effortless for bacteria to settle in and develop decay.

Increased Risk and Aggravation of Gum Disease

Smoking is a significant source and reason for the development and worsening of gum disease in the United States. Gum diseases typically start with bacteria residing on your teeth that get under your gums. If the germs stay on your teeth for too long, layers of plaque and tartar or hardened film would develop. This then can interfere in the normal function and structure of the gums, impairing the blood flow in the mouth and spreading the bacteria to other parts of the dental cavity, including your teeth, bones, and other soft tissues.

Tooth Loss

This is actually the end product of all the infection and damages your mouth can encounter when you continue to smoke. As your body becomes weak in fighting infections, it becomes harder to get rid of gum disease and other periodontal infections. What becomes of it is loosening and total destruction of the teeth, with no other solution but to undergo tooth extraction.

What Smoking Does To Your Teeth: What Can We Do

Stop Smoking

The best and only way for us to take the first step in correcting our dental issues caused by smoking is this – smoking cessation. Only then would our next efforts become fruitful, since the source of the bacteria has been stunted.

Improve Oral Hygiene

If you feel like you failed to continuously clean your teeth the right way, now is the time to make it a habit.

Brush your teeth at least twice a day.
Floss daily
Scrape your tongue as you brush your teeth.
Use mouthwash or other medicated mouth rinses.
Make a regular visit to your dentist at least every 6 months.

Teeth Whitening

If you only have teeth discoloration in your list of dental problems caused by smoking, your dentist may recommend a few sessions of professional teeth whitening. This procedure uses powerful bleaching chemicals that act as cleaning agents to restore the shine and cleanliness of your teeth. You may also opt for over-the-counter products of DIY teeth whitening kits for maintenance.

Address your Gum Disease

Only your dentist can monitor and assess if you have mild, moderate, or severe gum disease. Depending on the severity of the infection, your dentist may perform the following procedures:

Deep cleaning or scaling and root planing
Give prescriptions for medicated mouthwash brands
Gum surgery
Root canal surgery
Gum graft/bone graft
Tooth extraction

It’s not a matter of how long it takes for smoking to affect your teeth and oral health — but just a matter of when. With regular visits, your dental team can help create a program to start the quitting process while playing a vital role in the support system you’ll need. Sure, regular brushing and flossing can help your smile. The rest of your oral health is in your hands. That starts with taking the cigarette out of your hands and choosing health. Dental 266’s clinic in Burwood can help address your issues, click on the link to visit their website.