Smoking and Your Dental Health

Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions (CDC) about smokers may be shocking to most Americans.  We tend to think that cigarette taxes and no-smoking building codes have nearly eliminated this addiction.

In fact, Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the United States, resulting in more than 480,000 deaths each year, or about 1 in 5 deaths.

With these kinds of statistics, it is likely that you or someone in your family is a smoker. In 2018, nearly 14 of every 100 U.S. adults aged 18 years or older were current smokers. Sadly more than 16 million Americans live with a smoking-related disease.

Smoking by Regions in the U.S.

The CDC has researched smokers across the country and has results according to gender, race, education, marital status, regions and more. Statistics vary depending on where you live in the country. Current cigarette smoking is highest in the Midwest and lowest in the West. Here’s a breakdown.

•    About 16 of every 100 adults who live in the Midwest (16.2%)
•    Nearly 15 of every 100 adults who live in the South (14.8%)
•    Nearly 13 of every 100 adults who live in the Northeast (12.5%)
•    Nearly 11 of every 100 adults who live in the West (10.7%)

Smoking and Gum Disease
 
Your body’s immune system is weakened by smoking. It makes it much harder for you to fight off gum infection. Also, once you have damaged guns, smoking makes it so much harder for your gums to heal. Tobacco use in any form raises the risk of gum disease.

What does this mean for you and your oral health if you are a smoker?

• The more you smoke, the bigger your risk is for gum disease.
• You are twice as likely to have gum disease compared with a nonsmoker.
• The longer you smoke, the bigger your risk of gum disease.
• Treatments may not work as well for people who smoke.

How can you prevent Gum Disease?
 
If you are a smoker or have loved ones who smoke, you are probably now concerned with improving your dental health. Developing good daily dental hygiene is key.

According to the CDC, the only way to avoid gum disease is with good dental habits.

• Brush your teeth at least twice a day.
• Floss your teeth often in order to remove plaque.
• See your local dentist regularly for checkups and professional cleanings.
• Don’t smoke. If you smoke, quit now.

Why are Dental Check ups important, especially if you are a Smoker? 

Many people don’t realize that good dental health is very important to other critical health issues. According to the American Dental Association (ADA), getting your teeth properly cleaned twice a year at your dental offices in Phoenix AZ helps prevent gum disease and reduces your chances of other potentially life-threatening health issues.

So it is important to remember that one of the most important health appointments to keep is at your local dentist office for the recommended dental cleaning session. Both your teeth and gums are cleaned as this visit and your dentist screens you for other developing issues.

If you are a Smoker, Pay Attention to your Dental Health

If you are one of the 35 million U.S. smokers, it may save your life to acknowledge the link between good oral health and your immune system as well as other issues. Gum disease, oral cancer, and other oral health issues may be avoided by following the recommendations of your local dentist.

 This is a guest blog entry.