Search Alaska's Smoke-Free Housing Database

SEARCH
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
SEARCH
Categories
Health Information

Dental Hygiene Month (October)

October is Dental Hygiene Month. We haven’t talked about tobacco’s impact on dental health yet. So this post is dedicated to that!

Note: the first video below shows the impacts of skin grafts and surgery to treat oral cancer. If you don’t want to see those, consider skipping it.

Source: CDC’s Tips from a Former Smoker, Christine (CDC: Tips From Former Smokers – Christine B.: Oral Cancer Effects – YouTube)

Did You Know?

  • Many tobacco products, including cigarettes and smokeless tobacco, cause:
    • Oral cancer
    • Gum disease
    • Tooth Loss
    • Staining of the teeth/tongue
    • Increased loss of bone within the jaw
    • Increased buildup of plaque and tartar
    • Lower success of dental implants
    • Slow healing after periodontal treatment, tooth extraction, or other surgery
    • Decrease the amount of dental treatment options available
  • Those over 65 years old and who smoke are 2x more likely to have untreated tooth decay.
  • 43% of those over 65 years old and who currently smoke cigarettes have lost all of their teeth.
  • Untreated tooth decay is higher in those who smoke cigarettes (40% of those between 20-65 years of age and currently smoke have untreated tooth decay.

What About E-Cigarettes?

Like with other systems of the body, long term impacts are still be studied. Here’s some of what the current evidence suggests:

  • E-cigarettes can change the oral microbiome in ways that are different from people who smoke cigarettes and those who don’t smoke.
  • E-cigarettes can lead to gum disease. The study suggests it’s at a lower rate than cigarettes, but higher than not smoking.
  • They can cause burns in the mouth. This could be due to heat of the mouthpiece when using an e-cigarette in addition to explosions.
  • The aerosol can lead to tooth discoloration.
  • The aerosol can increase the amount of dental caries due to some of the chemicals in it.

Marijuana and Oral Health

As with e-cigarettes, marijuana’s impacts is still being studied. Most studies currently show associations at this point. These associations include:

  • Dry mouth and white patches on the tongue, gums, or inside the cheeks
    • These white patches may become oral cancer
  • Possible increased risk of caries and periodontal disease
  • Increased risk of inflammation associated with oral mucositis
  • Periodontal complications
  • Increased risk of mouth and neck cancer

Source: Tips From a Former Smoker, Brett (CDC: Tips From Former Smokers – Brett P.’s Story – YouTube)

Resources

 

References

  1. Tobacco Use (cdc.gov)
  2. How smoking affects your oral health | Delta Dental (deltadentalins.com)
  3. Effects of Smoking on Teeth and Gums | Cigna Dental Health
  4. Evidence Grows for Vaping’s Role in Gum Disease | ASM.org
  5. E-cigarette temperature may affect oral health by changing properties of inhaled aerosols | American Dental Association (ada.org)
  6. Cannabis and Its Impact on Oral Health | College of Dentistry | University of Illinois Chicago (uic.edu)
  7. Cannabis: Oral Health Effects | American Dental Association (ada.org)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Alaska Smoke-Free Housing
A Buzzworthy Site