You know smoking is bad for your overall health, so it should be no surprise that cigarettes and chewing tobacco are also harmful to your oral health. Possible oral health impacts of smoking and all tobacco products include:
– Stained teeth and tongue
– Bad breath
– Dulled sense of taste and smell
– Slow healing after a tooth extraction or other surgery
– Difficulties in correcting cosmetic dental problems
– Gum disease
– Oral cancer
Quitting is the only way to decrease your risk of these and other tobacco-related health problems but we know it is not always easy to give up a tobacco habit.
The addictive quality of nicotine, which is found in cigarettes, cigars and chewing tobacco, can make this especially difficult. That’s why it’s important to have a plan, a support network, and people to help you stick to your plan. Write down your reasons for quitting.
Soon, there will be nowhere to smoke except in one’s own home as Charlotte, and many cities around the country, continue to put restrictions on places people can smoke. Restaurants and public areas were the first to go smokeless, and now most places are smoke free such as office buildings, sports/entertainment arenas, and public parks.
Exercising, chewing gum and keeping yourself occupied can help you quit. Talk to your dentist or doctor to see if the medications available would help you to stop using tobacco.
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