Tobacco and tooth decay: how to avoid it?

Tobacco has a deleterious effect on the lungs, but the first place it takes its toll is in the mouth. Smoking increases the risk of oral diseases.

These irremediably affect the mouth and teeth, with the increased probability of tooth loosening leading to tooth loss.

The side effects of tobacco on oral health

All smokers know the main side effects of tobacco on the oral system: it gives bad breath, reduces taste and smell, and stains the teeth. However, this is only the tip of the iceberg, as the insidious effects of tobacco only appear later.

Smoking reduces the flow of saliva, which is essential for rinsing the mouth. The risks of caries formation are then mechanically increased. Indeed, the unbalanced bacterial flora weakens the mouth as a whole. Heat and harmful tobacco products prevent lesions and infections from healing, and cavities tend to develop more quickly. This bad context favors gingivitis which can degenerate into a form called ulcero-necrotic.

Since treatments are less effective in smokers, these pathologies become more permanent and lead to more serious problems: tooth loosening and cancers (mouth, tongue, lips, tonsils, etc.).

Why are smokers at greater risk of periodontal disease?

Tobacco and the staining of smokers' teeth

Let's start with the most obvious factor caused by smoking: coloring. When you smoke, no matter how hard you brush, you can't stop the yellow stain from dulling your smile. If you don't descale regularly, it will gradually turn darker.

It is not just a matter of aesthetics, because this stain is made up of a solid element: a rough deposit that fixes itself on your enamel. The dental plaque generated by saliva and food debris then finds the ideal support to agglomerate, before turning into tartar. Tartar is a good place for bacteria to live, which can lead to cavities in your teeth.

Scaling at the dentist allows you to dislodge this tartar and reduce staining, but in the meantime, infections will have freely progressed.

Asphyxiation of periodontal tissues

Nicotine decreases the size of blood vessels (this is called vasoconstriction), while the carbon monoxide contained in smoke depletes the oxygen in the blood flowing through the gums. These contain a very dense network of capillaries that irrigate the flesh of the gums, keeping the teeth in their cavity.

The tissues are then less well irrigated, which causes deficiencies in nutritional intake. Their color darkens, the gums become more fragile and less able to defend themselves against the attacks of bacteria.

The shifted diagnosis

Vasoconstriction reduces the diameter of the blood vessels, so there is less bleeding. These are the ones that alert the dentist to the presence of periodontal disease. This type of condition progresses rapidly and any delay in diagnosis reduces the chances of taking timely action against tooth loosening.

Why are smokers at greater risk of tooth decay?

Gums that are poorly irrigated and lacking in oxygen lose their ability to heal. The intense heat as you take a puff cooks the tissue on the surface. They lose their elasticity and their vascularization deteriorates further.

The entire oral system is weakened. The tissues, muscles and ligaments that make up the gums become necrotic and no longer ensure the maintenance of the teeth, which begin by becoming loose before falling out.

Treatment failure in smokers

Dental surgery is delicate in smokers. Due to poor irrigation, any intervention is compromised, as healing is not satisfactory and the risk of infection is high.

A dentist will be reluctant to place implants to replace loose teeth because the likelihood of failure is too great.

The alternative to cigarettes: vaping

Quitting smoking is a daunting but not insurmountable task. In addition to the body that demands its nicotine ration, the smoker is conditioned and lacks gestures. Not holding a cigarette and inhaling puffs reminds him every second of his addiction. The sound of a lighter can set him off, as can the sight of a smoker.

The designers of vaping products have understood this mechanism and, thanks to them, many smokers are able to stop smoking, without going through the throes of withdrawal. By switching to vaping, you are more serene, less prone to mood swings and bulimia, and above all, you preserve your health. By the way, your wallet is also much better off, because the prices of e-liquids sold online start at 2€, while the prices of tobacco are skyrocketing.

By switching from tobacco to the vaporizer, you find the taste and smell, your breath becomes neutral and you no longer risk staining your teeth. But above all, you no longer expose yourself to all oral diseases and avoid the risks of loosening of the teeth. Your mucous membrane regains its bacterial balance and is able to fight infections.