Campaigns overlook risks to oral health

THERE is an overwhelming catalogue of information being communicated to the general population, especially young adults, regarding the harmful effects of tobacco smoking on their general health.

However, it is equally important to be aware of the detrimental effects cigarette smoking has on dental health.

Comparative studies suggest a significant gap in knowledge amongst smokers, who are most often unaware of the link between smoking and oral health in general. Discouraging smoking from an early age would be one of the preventative measures to improve oral health.

Some of these negative effects include:

• Aesthetics – discolouration of intraoral dental works and existing teeth.
• Tooth decay – Saliva plays an important role in maintaining the oral acidic level, in turn affecting the type and amount of bacteria in the mouth. Nicotine causes the consistency of saliva to be more viscous and reduces its ability to lessen the impact of heightened acidity which follows after eating.
• Reduces taste sensitivity
• Contributes to longer wound healing post dental procedures – nicotine acts as a vaso-constrictor and impinges upon blood flow to the oral tissue. Blood flow is essential to bring nutrients to tissues such as the gums and bones.
• Periodontal disease – multiple studies have shown a positive correlation between periodontal disease and smoking. More serious cases involve greater bone loss and/or furcation, which leads to premature tooth loss.
• Gingivitis (gum inflammation caused by dental plaque) – nicotine can mask the signs of gingivitits such as bleeding upon probing of the gum due to its vaso-constrictive effect. Whilst gingivitis can be prevented with good oral hygiene, reduced sensation in a smoker’s mouth makes it harder to remove plaque along the gum margins, increasing the prevalence of acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis.
• Oral cancer – carcinogenic effect on oral mucous tissue. Increases the likelihood of precancerous lesions such as leukoplakia.