The Risks Of Smoking For Your Oral Health

It’s never too late to quit smoking

Before we start today’s blog, we would like to take this belated opportunity to wish all of our patients a very happy new year.

There are far fewer smokers in the UK today than there were even ten years ago. The number of these is still very significant though with approximately 6.5 million people still smoking.

This might come as a surprise, but smokers have become less visible now the habit is banned from pubs and most other public spaces. Smoking in your own home is as dangerous as smoking anywhere else though so if you do smoke, you should do all that you can to quit.

Our Bedford patients will be well aware of the dangers to health if you smoke. Heart disease and various cancers, in particular lung cancer, are real risks, but smoking can also affect your oral health in different ways and it is this that we will take a look at in our first blog of the new year.

Oral cancers

Oral, or mouth cancer is one of the most serious oral health issues that can be linked to smoking. It can affect the soft tissues of the mouth, such as the tongue, but also the throat and neck areas too. Last year, over three thousand people died of this and many more will have suffered from facial disfigurement due to the disease and treatment. As with all forms of cancer, the prognosis is much better if it is detected early on, and during your regular six monthly check up at The Dental Centre Bedford, we will check for any potential signs of oral cancers, such as lumps or red patches in the mouth.

If any of these are detected, we will refer you to your GP for further investigation. If we do this though, please remember that it doesn’t mean that you definitely have oral cancer. We are not experts in this field and merely act as a first line for detection as we inspect people’s mouths regularly. In most cases it will probably turn out to be something much less significant but you should still be checked to be sure.

Periodontal disease

Although not as serious as oral cancer, diseases such as periodontitis can have a devastating effect for those who suffer from it. Whilst gingivitis, the earlier stage of gum disease, can cause significant discomfort, it can often be treated in a relatively straightforward manner. If it is not, then the infection can reach the roots of the tooth and the surrounding bone tissue. This then starts to eat away at the bone, causing the teeth to become less stable and wobbly. Eventually, tooth loss is a real possibility. Smoking greatly increases your risk of periodontitis and indeed, is one of the biggest causes of it. Treatment for periodontitis usually involves root planing or a ‘deep clean’ which is an invasive treatment and one that doesn’t guarantee success – so you may still lose some teeth.

Stained and discoloured teeth

The most obviously noticeable result of smoking is usually badly stained teeth. This can range anywhere from a yellowish appearance to a dark brown, depending on how much you smoke and how well you clean your teeth. Even the best cleaning in the world won’t stop your teeth becoming discoloured though.

If you have managed to kick the habit and are unhappy with the appearance of your teeth due to smoking, there are ways that we can help you have attractive white teeth again. For milder cases, a straightforward and non-invasive teeth whitening procedure may be sufficient. The treatment we provide is a custom one, allowing you to choose the degree of whiteness that you want. It is also a treatment that you can carry out at home in comfort whilst watching TV or listening to music. It is safe and you will, of course, have the experience and advice of our cosmetic dental team available in case there are any queries.

For those with more severely stained teeth, this procedure may not improve the whiteness of your teeth as much as you would like and it may be necessary to replace the severely stained surface with a fine porcelain dental veneer. The results are excellent and can last for approximately ten years with appropriate care.

Ultimately, smoking is extremely harmful for your health, both general and oral, and we urge any patients that smoke to seek help to stop doing so. It is important for everyone to see a dentist for regular check ups and especially so if you smoke. We can also help you resolve the aesthetic harm that smoking causes, with a range of restorative and cosmetic dentistry – if you would like to contact us about this, please call The Dental Centre Bedford today on 01234 819868.