Bad Effects of Smoking on Dental Health
Smoking is known to have many ill-effects on health and most of us are aware of the dangers of smoking on general health. What people tend to ignore is the impact of smoking on dental health.

Let us analyze some of the bad effects of smoking on oral health.

Tooth Discoloration: Most smokers are generally aware of the tooth stains that are caused by smoking. These tooth stains are due to nicotine and tar present in the cigarette. The staining ranges from yellow to dark brown (from years of smoking).The staining can be on specific teeth or general discoloration. These stains are hard to remove by normal brushing.

Bad Breath: Smokers are at a much greater risk of developing bad breath than non smokers. The nicotine and tar content gives rise to a typical bad breath known as smokers breath.

Apart from this smoking causes dry mouth which is a leading cause of Halitosis (bad breath).

Tooth Decay: Smoking puts you at a greater risk of developing dental caries due to plaque build up.

Gum Disease: Smoking also results in gum disease due to plaque and tartar build up. Smoking also interferes with the normal functioning of the cells in the gum tissue. A recent study published in the journal of Periodontology highlights that smokers are 4 times more likely to develop advanced gum disease.

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