In the United States, tobacco usage is one of the leading determinants of illness and early mortality. Many oral health issues have also been connected to smoking, adding to the long list of illnesses that have been. The most prominent signs are stained teeth and foul breath. More gravely, smoking has been connected to an increased risk of oral cancer, gum disease, and jaw bone loss.
Here is a quick look at why your dentist in Fairfax wants you to quit smoking.
Why Quit Smoking
One of the biggest reasons why places such as Cascades Center for Dental Health encourage patients to quit smoking is because gum disease is twice as likely to affect smokers as non-smokers. Another reason is tobacco smoking is one of the most important risk factors for the onset and progression of gum disease, according to the American Academy of Periodontology. Smoking has not only been proven to raise the risk of developing gum disease but it has also been demonstrated to reduce the effectiveness of gum disease treatments.
Negative Effects Reverse Themselves
Your dentist in Fairfax wants you to know that as a smoker stops the habit, the consequences of smoking almost instantly start to reverse themselves. The American Dental Association claims that even after years of tobacco usage, you may dramatically minimize your health risks by quitting, even to the point where you have the same chance of developing gum disease as someone who has never smoked!
