We know that smoking gives you bad breath and discolored teeth. However, people are less aware that tobacco causes many other dental problems. Along with alcohol, tobacco is the leading cause of oral cancers. These represent 3% of all malignant tumors and a third of digestive cancers, which is far from negligible. A smoker is five to nine times more exposed to oral cancer than a non-smoker. It takes more than ten years of smoking cessation to find a level of risk equivalent to that of a non-smoker. This is one of the many reasons your Dentist in Cape May will tell you to stop, or never start, smoking.
The risks
Tobacco and alcohol, coupled with poor dental hygiene, have cumulative effects. The practice of chewing tobacco is a major risk of cancer. Cancers of the mouth, most commonly located at the floor of the mouth or tongue, causes disabling oral issues, both aesthetically and functionally. The probability of suffering from periodontal disease is two to six times higher in smokers compared to non-smoking, depending on the number of cigarettes smoked daily.
Tobacco and dental implants
Smoking increases the risk of implant failure by immediate rejection. When smoking more than fifteen cigarettes a day, the failure rate is multiplied by three. Similarly, smoking shortens the survival of an implant in the mouth. Problems, such as perimplantitis, causes mobility of an implant. This justifies a Dentist in Cape May having to remove it. The alteration of periodontal (gum and bone supporting the teeth) by smoking has the same effect on the implant (perimplantitis) than natural teeth (periodontitis or receding gums).
Tobacco and loss of tooth vitality
Smoking increases the likelihood of needing a root treatment. According to a recent study, a smoker has a 70% increased risk of decay compared to a person who does not smoke. A smoker of four years has an increased risk of 20%. One who has smoked five to twelve years, the risk is double, and it is increased by 120% over twelve years of continuous smoking. Cosmetic Dentistry can help with issues like teeth whitening, etc. However, if there are problems like periodontal disease, you may have to see a periodontist.
For more information on this and other dental issues, contact your local Dentist in Cape May today. Ask about how smoking has affected you, and how you can stop.
