Smoking and Oral Health
If you smoke, you probably know that smoking puts you at risk for lung disease, cancer and heart disease. But you may not know that tobacco use is also harmful to your oral health.

Periodontal Disease
Recent studies show tobacco use may be one of the most significant risk factors in the development of periodontal disease.

1. You are more likely to develop calculus, plaque that hardens on you teeth and can only be removed during a professional cleaning.

2. If the calculus is not removed, it remains below your gum line to pull away from your teeth.

3. Deep pockets form between your teeth and gums and fill with disease-causing bacteria.

4. If left untreated, the bacteria begins to destroy tissue and bone. Tobacco may also limit blood flow to gum tissue, restricting the necessary nutrients to the bone and periodontal support of the teeth.

5. Your gums will begin to shrink away from your teeth, making your teeth look longer. The condition can become painful and may ultimately lead to the loss of your teeth.

Tooth Loss

The Academy of General Dentistry reports that tooth loss in smokers occurs at a rate of 2.9 teeth every 10 years for men and 1.5 teeth every 10 years for women-two times the rate of tooth loss in nonsmokers. If you start smoking at age 18 and smoke a pack a day, you could lose four or five teeth by the time youre 35. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only about 20 percent of people over age 65 who have never smoked are toothless, while more than 40 percent of daily smokers over age 65 lost some of their teeth.

Other Oral Health Problems

Periodontal disease and tooth loss are not the only side effect of smoking. Chemicals in tobacco can slow the healing process after any periodontal treatments may be less effective in smokers than nonsmokers. In addition, research shows that exposing your children to tobacco smoke can delay the development of their permanent teeth. Other side effects include:

- Oral cancer
- Bad breath
- Stained teeth
- Loss of taste
- Mouth sores
- Less success with periodontal treatment and dental implants

Cigar Smoking
Many people think cigar smoking is a safer alternative to cigarettes. In fact, cigars can have up to 40 times the nicotine and tar found in cigarettes and cigar smokers are at risk for the same health problems and tooth loss as cigarette smokers.

Saving Your Smile

If you smoke, you need to brush and floss regularly and have your teeth cleaned professionally every three months. Or better yet, quit smoking. Research shows that much of the damage caused by smoking will reverse itself after you quit. Talk to your dentist about ways you can improve your dental health, as well as your overall health.