It is true that fewer people now smoke in the UK than used to be the case. It wasn’t that long ago when every pub and office in the land would be full of cigarette smoke, making it almost impossible to avoid. Even buses and trains were smoking zones too. Government policy since has decreased this, along with the various health warnings, and currently, it is thought that there are now around 6.5 million smokers in this country. This is not as many as there used to be, but still a lot of people unnecessarily putting both their general and oral health at risk.<\/p>\n
Most people already know about general health risks such as heart disease and lung cancers, but fewer might be aware of the damage that smoking can do to your oral health. In today\u2019s blog then, we are going to address this and take a look at some of the issues that can arise if you are one of the 6.5 million people who still smoke.<\/p>\n
It is well known that smoking can lead to lung cancer, but did you know that you can also get cancer of the mouth and the soft tissues within. As you might expect, smoking is a major cause of this. It is potentially a fatal disease, especially if not detected early on which is why we routinely check for any possible signs during your check up at SG Dental and Implant Centre<\/a>. If you are in any doubt at all about how dangerous this can be, search for \u2018oral cancer\u2019 and take a look at some of the images. It might be hard viewing, but if it helps you to stop smoking, it will be worth it.<\/p>\n Although not as dangerous as oral cancer, gum disease can have a devastating effect on people. If you think that this means just spitting a little blood, as is often shown on TV adverts, think again. While this is one of the symptoms, it can also cause sore and painful gums and can also attack the bone which holds the teeth in position, a stage known as periodontitis. When it does this, the teeth can become loose and wobbly and may even fall out. Smoking is one of the biggest risk factors and while everyone should see a dental hygienist for a professional clean, this is especially important for smokers. If you don\u2019t currently see the hygienist, call us to make an appointment now.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n When you have an invasive procedure such as an extraction or a dental implant placement, the wound left by the procedure needs to heal. This takes time but for most people this is just a few days before things start to gradually return to normal. If you smoke though, this is likely to take longer as smoking not only irritates the area but also narrows the tiny blood vessels in that area that pump blood to the wound to start the healing process. This longer healing period may also lead to a higher risk of infection in that area of the mouth.<\/p>\n You can usually tell a smoker by the lingering odour on their clothes long before they get close enough to speak to you. This can be an effective way of avoiding coming into contact with their breath. Smoker\u2019s breath is often not very pleasant but can often be worse due to the presence of halitosis. This often occurs when someone has gum disease and, as mentioned earlier, this is not uncommon in those who smoke. Essentially, bacteria in the mouth that have become out of control expel gases as they attack the flesh. This foul smelling odour may also mean that you start to find people avoiding talking to you at all!<\/p>\n One sign of a smoker is, of course, their discoloured teeth. While this might not, in itself, be harmful to your teeth, it certainly makes them look unattractive. They might be anywhere from a light yellow colour to a dark brown, depending on your smoking habits. Whatever the shade though, our Burton cosmetic dentists<\/a> can help you do something about it. Some patients might benefit from our popular teeth whitening procedure, but heavily stained teeth may require porcelain dental veneers to be fitted to restore the appearance of your teeth.<\/p>\n It isn\u2019t just your natural teeth that can suffer if you smoke. If you have had dental implants placed, there is a risk that you might lose them if you suffer from peri-implantitis. This occurs only if you have teeth implants and is similar to periodontitis except that it not only affects the jaw bone but also the tissue around the implant. This can cause your implant to become loose and potentially fall out.<\/p>\n If you still smoke, there are many reasons to quit, as you can see above. For those who have stopped, hopefully these will warn you against starting again and that your resolve will hold. Please don\u2019t be one of those people who give up – stay strong to help maintain a healthy mouth and of course your general health too.<\/p>\n For information on anything mentioned in today\u2019s blog or to make an appointment at SG Dental and Implant Centre in Burton, please call us today on 01283 845345<\/strong>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Advice from our Burton dentists for smokers and ex-smokers whose resolve may be weakening. It is true that fewer people now smoke in the UK than used to be the case. It wasn’t that long ago when every pub and …<\/p>\nGum disease<\/h3>\n
Delayed healing<\/h3>\n
Halitosis<\/h3>\n
Stained teeth<\/h3>\n
Dental implant risks<\/h3>\n