Tobacco and Teeth

This year’s Fall For Smiles campaign is called Our Future. Our Families: Reaching Oral Health Equity. The campaign revolves around Oral Health America’s founding goal of educating the public about the best oral care habits, and equalizing access to oral health across all groups and communities. One of the big focuses of this campaign is the negative effects of tobacco, and how to quit smoking. Cigarette smoke contains more than 4,000 toxic substances that are fatal, and often makes the first mark in our oral health.

When it comes to tobacco’s effect on your teeth, you probably think of yellow teeth or bad breath. But the truth is, tobacco causes a number of detrimental changes in your oral health that pose much more serious health risks.
Tobacco and tooth erosion 

The chemicals in tobacco lead to tiny erosions in the dentin of your teeth—and, for anyone who uses chewing tobacco, this damage is more than quadrupled. When your dentin is damaged, it becomes more vulnerable to the natural acids in foods and drinks, and less resistant to the bacteria that generate cavities. This leads to the erosion and infection of your teeth, especially with prolonged use of tobacco products.
Tobacco and gum inflammation
Inflamed gums can result from a decreased concentration of oxygen in your blood. These low oxygen levels weaken your overall immune system response, making your gums more susceptible to bacteria. Tobacco, perhaps unsurprisingly, is a common culprit of decreased oxygen levels in the bloodstream. If you are a smoker, be aware that gum problems can manifest themselves as anything from sensitive, bleeding gums to the loss of teeth if you don’t start treatment on time—or quit smoking.

Tobacco and oral tumors
The 4,000 chemicals present in tobacco are all hazardous, and actually kill off the healthy cells they come in contact with—from your mouth to your lungs, and even into your blood. This habitual intake of cell-killing smoke leaves your mouth unable to heal normally over time, and as cells try to reproduce there’s a greater likelihood that unusual or unhealthy cells will form into tumors.

The chemicals in cigarettes are also carcinogenic, meaning that they change cellular structure. However, unlike the damage to lungs, the cells in your mouth multiple so quickly that as soon as you stop smoking, our chances of developing oral cancer decrease enormously. For patients who quit smoking more than two years ago, their chances of developing oral cancer fall to one third of the risk for current smokers.
Tobacco and teeth discoloration
Tooth discoloration is an aesthetic change to your teeth, whether you develop yellowing, brown spots, or dead-looking blackened teeth. Thanks to the nicotine in tobacco, teeth become shades darker and continue acquiring new stains up until you quit smoking altogether. Depending on how long you’ve been a smoker, you might or might not be eligible for teeth whitening treatments. Your best shot is to quit smoking, and make sure you keep your regular check-ups with your dentist.