It's no secret that tobacco use is bad for your general health. So it shouldn’t be too surprising that smoking can have a tremendous affect on your oral health.

Tobacco Use and Oral Health - The Facts

What does this mean for you if you smoke or chew tobacco? According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), tobacco use can have a dramatic negative impact on your oral health: 

• Tobacco use weakens your immune system, making it more difficult to fight off gum infections
• Half of the adults who smoke have gum disease 
• Using tobacco reduces the effectiveness of gum disease treatment
• Smokers are nearly twice as likely to lose their teeth as non-smokers 

If you are a smoker, you probably already know about the toll that it takes on your heart and lungs. You are an adult and it isn’t our job to lecture you about tobacco use. But it is our job to raise your awareness of the dangers that the habit poses to your oral health. No matter how diligent you are about taking care of your teeth, you can’t undo the damage that smoking causes.

If you smoke and are worried about your oral health, please call King Dental to arrange an appointment. We will be happy to talk to you about the ways we can help you protect your oral health to minimize the damage caused by smoking. Dr. King will perform a thorough exam to check the current condition of your oral health. If problems exist, we will work through them with you to ensure that your smile is as healthy as it can be.