When you visit the dentist, your provider can tell immediately whether or not you smoke. In addition to its many serious documented effects on your lungs and overall health, tobacco also damages your mouth, teeth, and gums. Here are some of the many reasons why your dentist would want you to quit smoking.

Why Eliminating Smoking Is Preventive Dentistry

Dry Mouth

Your saliva plays an important role in your mouth by washing bacteria, acid, and food debris off your teeth. Bacteria thrives in dry mouths, causing infections and cavities. Smoking dries out your mouth and leaves it vulnerable. Additionally, the increased bacterial activity also causes unpleasant smells. Gum or mints won't cover up the smell.

Staining

Over time, tobacco will dramatically change the color of your tooth enamel. No amount of teeth cleaning will get rid of the yellowish or brownish stains; even your dentist may not be able to restore your pearly whites without major cosmetic dentistry.

Decreased Immune Response

There's evidence that tobacco makes your body slower to respond to infections. This means that when bacteria in your mouth attack your gums, you're more likely to develop serious gum disease. This problem is worsened by the way that nicotine constricts blood flow to your gums.

Oral Cancer

Tobacco and nicotine increase your cancer risk. Not only are smokers at increased risk for lung and throat cancers, but they are also at risk of mouth cancer. When you visit your dentist, part of your routine exam is an oral cancer screening, because mouth cancers can be deadly if not treated promptly.

For advice from a dentist about how to quit smoking and avoid its negative oral effects, make an appointment with Main Street Dental. Based in La Crosse, WI, and serving patients from the surrounding county, they have over 30 years of experience and offer the latest and most advanced treatments available. To schedule an appointment, call (608) 784-4063, and review their new patient information online.