Each year, more and more Americans are ceasing tobacco use to improve their overall health. At the same time, the Centers for Disease Control estimate that nearly 40 million Americans still use some form of tobacco product.
To make more people aware of the threats of tobacco use, Dr. J. Scott Thompson, DMD points out the negative impact it can have on oral health.
Cosmetically, the tar and chemicals in tobacco cause deep stains your teeth and give you pervasive and chronic bad breath. The only way to effectively whiten your smile is with your dentist’s professional tooth-bleaching treatment. If you continue to use tobacco after your teeth have been whitened, the same staining issues will return.
Extensive research has found a link between tobacco use and at least eight major types of oral cancer. At the same time, oral and pharyngeal cancers tend to occur earlier and with greater complications in tobacco users.
If you have oral surgery, tobacco use will increase recovery time. Also, the irritation to the gum tissues will greatly increase your risk of an infection.
If you use tobacco in Essex Junction, Vermont, and you are concerned about the impact it has on your oral health, you should call Scott Thompson, DMD at 802-879-7811 to discuss your cessation options.