The effects of smoking are pretty clear. It is a direct cause of lung cancer, emphysema and other types of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder, which is the third leading cause of death in the United States. It also increases the risk of coronary heart disease, strokes and other health conditions, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
An effect that often gets overlooked is smoking’s toll on teeth and oral health. The addiction can have a significant effect on oral health, according to the American Dental Association’s Mouth Healthy website.
Smoking can lead to the following impacts, according to the site:
- Stained teeth
- Diminished sense of taste
- Slow healing after oral surgeries
- Gum Disease
- Oral cancer
Quitting smoking is the only way to eliminate these risks, but at Cirocco Dental Center, we realize how hard of a habit it can be to break. And we’re on your side! It’s not easy, but with the proper support system and the right habits, you can work toward the ultimate goal of quitting smoking to improve the health of your mouth and your life.
Resources
Fortunately, there are more resources than ever at your disposal to help you quit. SmokeFree offers a free text messaging program called SmokeFreeTXT that sends motivational messages to help you push through during the tough stages of the process.
There are also apps and quitlines that offer additional support to people trying to stop smoking, as well as nicotine products that help to slowly curb smoking habits like gums, pills and patches that help to reduce withdrawal symptoms.
There are a multitude of options available to help aid your efforts to quit smoking, and we fully stand behind you in your battle to live a smoke-free life with happy teeth! Routine dental check-ups are still extremely important is you smoke, so don’t forget to schedule your habit today so we can keep your teeth the cleanest they can be!
