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Don’t trade your healthy teeth with cigarettes

Found in cigarettes, cigars, and smokeless tobacco causes mutations in the healthy cells of your mouth and throat, increasing your risk for developing oral cancer — probably the most serious and challenging to treat.

What Steps Can You Take To Quit Smoking

Quitting smoking — It takes hard work, commitment, accountability, and willpower. Here’s  a practical 5 step plan to stop:

  1. Get Ready: Set your date to quit.
  2. Lean On Your Support System: Utilize your friends, family, and health professionals to help you along.
  3. Create Distractions: When urges to smoke arise, shift your focus to something else (exercise, hobby, etc.).
  4. Medicate As Necessary: Speak with your doctor about the benefits of using prescription or over-the-counter medications.
  5. Prepare For Setbacks: Recognize they happen, own it, work to overcome slip-ups, and keep going.

It's not a matter of how long it takes for smoking to affect your teeth and oral health — but just a matter of when. And while smoking is the #1 preventable cause of death and disease in the world, the journey to quit smoking is a grueling one. Remember that with most oral care concerns, your dental professionals are there to help. With regular visits, your dental team can help create a program to start the quitting process while playing a vital role in the support system you'll need. Sure, regular brushing and flossing can help your smile. The rest of your oral health is in your hands. That starts with taking the cigarette out of your hands and choosing health.

How to combat bad breath from smoking?

“Smoker’s breath” is another issue some people have. This is caused by early stages of gum disease or dry mouth due to decreased saliva production.

Here are a few options to help eliminate smoker’s breath:

  • Brush your teeth at least twice a day, and floss at least once a day.
  • Increase your fluid intake to prevent dry mouth.
  • Use an antibacterial mouthwash for dry mouth.
  • Chew sugarless gum.
  • Suck on a peppermint.
  • Schedule regular dental cleanings to remove plaque and tartar from your teeth.
  • Cut back on smoking, or stop altogether.

Are e-cigarettes better for dental health?

There’s no tobacco in e-cigarettes, so many people believe that vaping is better for oral health.

While e-cigarettes don’t produce smoke, the vapor contains nicotine. In addition, e-cigarettes still contain other chemicals and heavy metals — albeit less than cigarettes — that are bad for the body and teeth.

Can smoking damage your teeth or gums?

Giving up smoking benefits oral health because it reduces the likelihood of developing gum disease.

Gum disease, also called periodontal disease, is an infection that affects the gum line. It develops when tartar and bacteria accumulate below or above the gums, resulting in inflammation.

Gum disease is linked with smoking because people who smoke tend to have more tartar on their teeth than nonsmokers. The nicotine in tobacco reduces saliva production, making it easier for tarter and bacteria to build up in the mouth.

The nicotine in these products can damage gum tissue and reduce saliva production, resulting in bad breath, receding gums, and tooth loss.

If you are smoker you need to improve your oral health by visiting the dentist every 3 months. Since tobacco is not good for your gum, you will do some preventive dental treatments.

Your professional scale and clean is an easy way to maintain healthy teeth and gums. We’ve outlined five benefits of regularly seeing our hygiene team.

Enjoy brighter and shinier teeth. Over time calculus can build up on your teeth and this hard substance can look yellow. Your professional scaling and cleaning removes all hardened calculus before your teeth are carefully polished, lifting some surface stains.

Better gum health. Calculus contains infection-causing bacteria and regularly removing it reduces your risk of gum disease.

Fresh breath. After having your teeth professionally cleaned you will probably notice your mouth feels extremely clean and this has a great effect on your breath.

Protect your general health. Gum disease has been linked to many serious health conditions including diabetes, heart disease and even dementia and certain cancers. A professional scaling and cleaning is an effortless way to reduce your risk.

Preventative care is cheaper. Over time, it’s far cheaper to prevent dental disease then to treat it and attending regular hygiene

It’s never too late to quit, even if you’ve smoked for a long time. You’ll still see immediate and long-term benefits.

Quitting smoking doesn’t only protect your teeth. It also lowers the chance of:

  • oral cancer
  • lung disease
  • heart disease
  • other health problems

Since smoking weakens the immune system, it also becomes harder for the body to fight the infection. As a result, the bones supporting teeth weaken, causing tooth loss.

Remind yourself why you’re quitting

Everyone has a motivation for quitting. Some want to improve their overall health. Others do it for their family. Maybe you just want to save money.

Regularly reflect on why you’re giving up the habit. This can help you overcome strong urges.

We’re aware of the dangers of smoking, but its impact on oral health isn’t always discussed. Smoking exposes you to a higher risk of mouth infection. The best way to protect yourself is to quit the habit, but that’s easier said than done.

But, that doesn’t mean there’s nothing you can do. Smokers can still take preventive measures to reduce harmful effects by following these oral hygiene tips.

1. Brush Properly

Smoking can make you more susceptible to gum disease. You need to commit to your oral hygiene routine even more. Brush properly at least twice a day and use a good quality toothbrush.

2. Choose the Appropriate Toothpaste

Consider using a toothpaste specially formulated for smokers. There are toothpastes targeting nicotine and tobacco stains to keep your teeth white. There are also the fluoride toothpaste variants that protect the gums. If you’re interested in teeth whitening treatments, let your dentist know.

3. Avoid Stain-Causing Food and Beverages

Reduce intake of highly acidic food and beverages. Coffee, for example, can stain your teeth and attack your enamel. Giving it up can protect your teeth from potential damage. If you must have your cuppa, drink water afterward to help wash away any residue.

4. Eat More Tooth-friendly Food

Opt for food high in calcium and fibre. They help strengthen the enamel, neutralize mouth acids, and act as a natural teeth cleaner. Trade some of your sweets and starchy snacks for crunchy fruits and leafy green vegetables.

5. Clean Your Tongue

Your tongue is a potential breeding ground for bacteria, resulting in bad breath and a dulled sense of taste. Remember to always clean your tongue when you brush your teeth.

6. Rinse with a Mouthwash

According to a study, cigarette smoking promotes the growth of bacteria. To help counter this, rinse with an antibacterial mouthwash. Swish it in your mouth properly before spitting. You can ask your dentist for mouthwash recommendations.

7. Maintain your Dental Appointments

Timely professional dental cleanings are crucial for your oral care. Your hygienist and dentist are a team working to remove tartar and debris buildup and check your mouth for potential dental issues, including oral cancer.

8. Do a Regular Self-Check

Examine your mouth between dental appointments and be diligent with your oral hygiene routine at home. Tell your dentist if you ever feel pain, numbness, or discomfort. Look out for bleeding, swelling, lesions, or sores in your mouth. If you find anything unusual, let Lumina’s dentist know.

If you don’t see yourself quitting anytime soon, you can still protect your mouth with the help of these dental care tips and do a dental routine check up at Lumina Dental Clinic.

Lumina Dental Clinic

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