Oral Care Advice

Tobacco contains a variety of toxins and chemicals that are damaging to our overall well being. They can impair the body’s immune system and hamper it from fighting off infections and diseases. Gum disease is just one of the health problems that smoking can cause or aggravate and it has been reported that smokers are around five times more likely to suffer from the condition than non smokers.

Smoking can cause the blood vessels that supply the gums to narrow and this in turn will diminish the supply of vital nutrients and oxygen to the tissue. If this condition persists for any length of time then the bone that holds the teeth firmly in place will gradually deteriorate leading to loose teeth and ultimately, tooth loss.

As a former smoker of some twenty years myself I have experienced this first hand. On one particular visit to the dentist my gums had begun to recede and I was told that if they were in the same condition and I didn’t smoke then my gums would be bleeding constantly. I also received a frank and lengthy lecture on the risks of mouth and throat cancer into the bargain.

This is just one of the many reasons to make that all-important decision quit smoking or at least give it a try. It’s not a nice experience to have your once winning smile turn into something quite the opposite. Who wants those receding gums that produce long and crooked teeth? Not only are they unattractive to look at but they can affect a person’s self-confidence. How many people do you know who refuse to smile for a photograph because of the state of their teeth?

Smoking relates to all sorts of illnesses and smokers gum disease is just one of them.

Numerous studies have long established the damaging effects of tobacco and cigarette smoking in a person’s overall health. When it comes to dental health, smoking is one of the major causes of serious oral problems such as mouth cancer as well as smokers gum disease.

Smokers gum disease is the infection of the gums, which is aggravated by smoking. The condition of smokers gum disease is often worse than in those who do not smoke. While gingivitis will affect almost everyone at some point in life, smokers are over five times at risk of acquiring a periodontal disease than non-smokers.

Smoking causes a very high tendency of tartar formation, gum tissue destruction and bone loss. Even a person not suffering from gum disease can have receding gums and lose the teeth’s supporting bones because of smoking.

The toxins and chemical in tobacco weakens a person’s immune system and blocks the production of antibodies, which is our body’s natural defense against bacteria and other disease-causing agents. When the immune system is not functioning well, it is easy for infection to grow. Smokers gum disease, an infection caused by bacteria in plaque, is a likely example.

Smoking may sometimes conceal a few of symptoms of gingivitis. Check the condition of your gums carefully. Is the color of gums red instead of pink? Are your gums inflamed or tender? Does it bleed easily during or even after tooth brushing? Have your gums pulled away from the teeth forming pockets? Are your gums receding making your teeth appear longer? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you are showing symptoms of gum disease.

Other symptoms and warning signs of this condition are loosening of teeth, changes in your bite, a stubborn case of bad breath or bad taste in the mouth as well as secretion of pus around gums.

The best way to prevent or reverse smokers gum disease is to quit smoking. While gum health depends greatly on a person’s dental hygiene and routine dental checkups, prevention and effective treatment of any periodontal disease should include a smoke-free lifestyle.

Quitting smoking is important to allow the body to respond completely any dental treatment and restore the health of your gums. Smoking is an addiction and quitting is a challenge but one that is well worth the benefits.

If you think that smoking has effect on the heart and lung only, you better think again. Recent studies have proved that smoking and gum disease are connected. Although the connection of smoking and gum disease is very well known, experts had just recently done a national study to prove the connection between smoking and gum disease. Researchers say that although smoking is one of the risk factor of gum disease, it is the “one” factor that is influenced by the individual who have gum disease.

Lots and lots of opinions have come out regarding the connection of smoking and gum disease. The nicotine and smoke of tobacco can cause constriction of the blood vessels, thus, reducing the distribution of oxygen and nutrients to the gum tissue. Cigarette smoking or chewing spit tobacco can also reduce the ability of the body to fight infections. Another study also proves that smokers are more prone to specific bacteria that can cause more aggressive gum disease.

The impact of all the research is that smokers have the highest possibility to have gum disease (making ex smokers having the second highest probability and non smokers last). Former smokers and non smokers also have better response to treatment of gum disease than those individuals who still smoke, thereby concluding that, individuals with gum disease that stopped smoking have better chance of achieving success with gum disease therapy than those who did not. Individuals who are currently active in smoking are four times more apt to have gum disease.

Researchers say that the link that connect smoking and gum disease is very much apparent. Recent studies shows that fifty-five percent of the study subject that has gum diseases were current smokers and almost twenty-two percent were ex smokers. The current smokers that average more than one to one and a half pack of cigarettes per day have six times more apt to have gum diseases than the subjects who do not smoke. And those who consume less than a pack a day have three times more probability to have gum disease.

The linkage between smoking and gum disease is caused by the suppression of the immune system of the body because of the tobacco, which reduces its ability against infection. Smoking also slows down the healing process of the gum tissue because it restricts the growth of the blood vessels.

Currents smoker are known to have worse oral and gum condition than those who do not smoke. Quitting smoking and exercising regular oral hygiene routine is very important for the well being of your gums. You don’t only save the physical condition of your teeth and gums; you also save your health. It is time that you throw away that vice and have a clean and healthy lifestyle.