Why You Should Stop Smoking

Smoking has a detrimental effect on your health, causing diseases such as lung cancer, heart disease and strokes. Whilst these issues are often at the forefront of people’s minds, they often don’t consider the effects on their oral health.

Mouth Cancer

Reported by the NHS, 93% of cancers in the throat are caused by smoking, and if you smoke you are six times more at risk of developing mouth cancer than non-smokers. The risks increase further when combined with alcohol consumption and poor diet. However, if you stop smoking you decrease your risk of cancer even if you have previously been a heavy smoker. Mouth cancer can grow quite quickly so it is important you attend routine appointments so your dentist can look for early signs. At Newby Dental Practice we provide a cancer check with every check up, so book your appointment now!

Risk of Gum Disease

Smoking reduces the amount of oxygen in your bloodstream meaning that infected gums can’t heal. This speeds up the effects of gum disease which can result in bone loss, leading to tooth loss.

Tooth Loss

As explained above, smoking reduces the oxygen flow in the bloodstream, worsening the effects of gum disease. Gum disease can result in bone loss which leads to tooth loss.

Bad Breath

When you smoke, over 4,000 chemicals pass through your mouth. The chemicals collect on the surface of your mouth and can mix with your saliva causing bad breath. Smoking can also cause bad breath by drying out your mouth.

Stained Teeth

Tobacco contains nicotine and tar that contribute to the yellow stain on teeth. After a long period of time, many smokers complain that their teeth are almost brown. Book an appointment with one of our hygienists to help remove the staining.