Smoking

Smoking can have serious effects on your teeth, gums and mouth. From cigarettes to hookahs to vapes, here’s what you should know about smoking and your dental health.

Smoking changes the way your teeth look and function, and even the way you enjoy food.

• Tobacco stains your teeth, often turning enamel yellow or brown. Cosmetic dental procedures (such as teeth whitening) may not work as effectively or last as long.
• Smoking dulls your sense of smell and taste.
• Smoking causes chronic bad breath.

Smoking is highly addictive. The nicotine in tobacco products is what makes it so hard to quit. But learning what smoking does to your dental health may help motivate you to make a change.

• Smoking can cause life-threatening cancers of the mouth, throat, tongue or jaw. Quitting now will reduce your risks for 12 different forms of cancer.
• Smoking reduces the flow of saliva in your mouth that helps cleanse away cavity-causing bacteria.
• Tobacco chemicals irritate your gums. Signs of gingivitis (early gum disease) include painful and bleeding gums.
• As these issues worsen, your gums can pull away from your teeth and form spaces (deep pockets) where infection can develop, a sign of severe gum disease (periodontitis).
• The bone and tissue that hold your teeth in place begin to break down, causing your teeth to loosen. Loose teeth may fall out or need to be pulled by your dentist or oral surgeon.
• Missing teeth can threaten the health of your remaining teeth. In fact, smokers are more than twice as likely to lose ALL their teeth than non-smokers.

Untreated gum disease has also been linked with stroke, high blood pressure, heart disease and dementia.

Many people who use hookahs, or waterpipes, assume that this form of smoking is safer than others. But research published in the Journal of the American Dental Association (JADA) shows that hookah smoking is linked with gum disease, dry socket, cancers of the head, neck and mouth and other serious conditions.

Scientists estimate that people who smoke hookahs inhale about as much smoke as if they had consumed 100 cigarettes.

While e-cigarette aerosol contains fewer chemicals than the 7,000 found in traditional cigarette smoke, that doesn’t mean vaping is safe. Vape cartridges usually contain nicotine or cannabis (THC, CBD), and researchers have also found these harmful substances in them:

• carcinogens (chemicals known to cause cancer)
• heavy metals such as nickel, tin and lead
• small particles that can be inhaled deep into the lungs
• flavorings with sugar, which contributes to tooth decay

Nicotine is highly addictive and known to affect brain development in children, teens and young adults. The amount of nicotine in e-cigarettes has increased with vaping's popularity. A study shows that over five years, the average nicotine strength in an e-cigarette increased from 1.7% to 5%, which is double the amount of nicotine you inhale from a pack of cigarettes.

A study in JADA found a correlation between people who vape and people with untreated cavities, but more research must be done to determine whether those cavities are caused by vaping. 

The best way to safeguard your long-term dental (and overall) health is to quit smoking. It takes time and commitment — but millions of people have done it, and there are plenty of free resources and support out there to help you succeed.

Visit smokefree.gov or call 1-800-QUIT-NOW to get started.

Be sure to ask your dentist for suggestions and support, too. Your dentist cares about your health and is there to offer guidance and motivation to help you succeed. In the meantime, make sure to store your tobacco products where children can’t reach them, as nicotine is a toxic substance that can cause illness — and in severe cases, coma or death — if swallowed.