What You Need to Know about Smoking and Your Oral Health
Smoking is terrible for your oral health. It can lead to various problems like gum disease, tooth decay, and bad breath. If you smoke, you're more likely to have one or more of these problems. And it's not just your teeth that smoking affects. It also increases your risk of developing mouth cancer.
Whether you pick up smoking just occasionally or you're a pack-a-day kind of smoker, you should understand the dangerous effects smoking has on your health—and especially your mouth.
Here your trusted experts in dental cleaning services share some of the things you need to know about smoking - what it does to your dental health and, more importantly, what you can do to take control:
Effects That You Can Easily Notice
There are many visible effects of smoking that you can see in a smoker. The most common is the yellowing of the teeth and fingers. This is because smoking causes nicotine to stain the teeth and fingers. Another common effect is the smoker's cough. This is caused by the smoke and tar that are inhaled and can cause long-term damage to the lungs. Smokers also tend to have a bad smell, which comes from smoke and nicotine.
Not-So-Visible Effects of Smoking You Might Not Be Aware Of
Smoking is among the leading culprits behind preventable deaths and diseases in the world. Many people do not realize just how serious the effects of smoking can be. Smoking also has several not-so-visible effects. For example, it can:
damage your skin, making it dull and wrinkled
give you bad breath
stain your teeth
make your hair smell bad
increase your risk of developing cancer
Quitting smoking is among the best things you can do for your health.
Hygiene Tips to Follow If You Still Haven't Kicked the Habit
Even if you've been smoking for years, it's not too late to make a change. You can improve your health and hygiene by following these tips:
Quit smoking. This is the most critical thing you can do for your health and hygiene.
Wash your hands regularly. This is especially important after you've smoked, as nicotine and other chemicals can linger on your hands.
Use a mouthwash or toothpaste that contains fluoride. This can help reduce the number of bacteria in your mouth.
Brush your teeth and tongue regularly. This will help remove bacteria and nicotine residue from your mouth.
Drink plenty of water to help flush toxins from your body.
Eat healthy food to improve your overall health.
Exercise regularly as it will help improve your overall health and well-being.
What You Must Do If You're Serious about Quitting Smoking
There are a few things you can do to increase your chances of successfully quitting:
Make a plan. Decide when you will stop and what you will do to stay on track.
Find a support group or person to help you through the process.
Get rid of all the things in your environment that remind you of smoking.
Make sure to keep yourself busy and distracted from any urges to smoke.
Conclusion
It is crucial that you always stay on top of your oral health if you want your teeth to last a lifetime. You can do this by quitting this bad vice and visiting your dentist regularly. Your dentist and dental hygienist can give you tips on how to take care of your teeth and help you maintain good oral health. Visit an experienced dental hygienist at a trusted dental clinic in Toronto who can help you address the effects of smoking on your oral health.
MobileDent offers reliable dental hygiene services in Toronto. Our dental hygienist has been in the industry since 2007 and has since served countless adults and children. Get in touch with us to schedule an appointment!