Say No To Tobacco, Your Smile Will Thank You

According to the latest data from WHO, tobacco kills nearly 6 million people a year. More than 5 million are direct smokers and more than 600 000 are passive smokers. We usually associate the negative consequences of tobacco to respiratory failure, but we should not forget that one of the main affected is our oral health.

It is common to see how smoking makes appear stains on our teeth and they lose their natural whitening, acquiring a yellowish tone by nicotine that stained our enamel. These substances penetrate into the interior of the tooth even up to the dentin and make us more prone to the appearance of plaque. We must not forget that the plaque is directly related to gingivitis and periodontitis, both diseases caused by inflammation of the gums.

The second is usually a complication of the first when it is not treated promptly or with appropriate methods. Periodontitis may also lead in bone deterioration, and therefore the loss of teeth, bdue to the large number of bacterias present in the oral cavity. The increase of the number of bacterias also favors the emergence of caries. The decrease in saliva flow make that our glands can’t combat them. This fact also increases the probability of suffer halitosis, a uncomfortable and unsightly condition that not passes unnoticed.

Oral cancer is, above all, the most serious consequence. The latest figures show us that, in our country, around 2,000 people develop this cancer each year and that between the 75% and the 90% of the cases are linked to the combined effects of tobacco and alcohol consumption. Also, the risk of suffering malignizables injuries, i.e. those considered as precancerous injuries, is six times higher in smokers that in non-smokers.

Ultimately, the appearance of any of these complications is detrimental for our life and it is important to do everything possible to avoid them. To quit smoking is, of course, our first recommendation. Today there are many methods of support which can help us to achieve our goal even though the will is the most important, undoubtedly. In any case, to go to the dentist with regularly, once again, becomes vital for our health. A diagnosis in time and a suitable treatment is always decisive.