The Relationship Between Smoking and Gum Disease
December 12, 2017
If you smoke, you’ve probably heard a million times how smoking yellows and degrades your teeth, turns your gums brown, and gives you bad breath. But did you know that smoking can also lead to gum disease in Denville, NJ and a host of other oral health issues?
How Can Smoking Cause Gum Disease?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), smokers have twice the risk for gum disease. Because smoking lowers immune resistance, any minor injury in the mouth can develop into progressive gum disease, beginning with minor infections but extending to severe and debilitating periodontitis. If you smoke your gums won’t heal as easily or naturally, leaving you open to further infection and degradation of gum health.
What Happens if I Contract Gum Disease?
Gum disease comes with a host of issues that smoking can severely compound. While it may start as just a small sore or abscess on your gums, it can lead to gum recession, exposed roots, increased sensitivity to heat and cold, cavities, tooth loss, bone erosion, and even heart disease as the bacteria from infections enters your system through open cuts and sores. Gum Disease can pose a large-scale health risk beyond simply cosmetic issues, and should be treated seriously.
How Can I Correct Problems With Smoking and Gum Disease?
The easiest answer is to stop smoking. You can’t reverse the damage already done, but you can prevent future gum and tooth erosion while giving yourself better options for healthy recovery from gum disease. Smoking and a compromised immune system can also affect the effectiveness of treatment options, meaning the longer you continue to smoke the less likely we can save your teeth. At Denville Dentist we offer laser gum surgery in Denville, CT. This is a virtually painless and minimally invasive procedure to treat gum disease issues.