If you are a regular smoker, you may have realized by now that smoking causes problems with bad breath and halitosis. A study in the September issue of the Journal of Periodontology (JOP) found that smokers had less desirable long term results following periodontal plastic surgery than non-smokers.
The study followed 10 smokers and 10 non-smokers for two years to evaluate the effects of cigarette smoke on the long term outcomes of a treatment to help soft tissue reattach to the root surface of the teeth. After two years, residual gum recession around the area which received the surgery was greater in smokers as compared to non-smokers.
Smoking is considered as a very unhealthy vice that brings with it a wide range of side effects. While smokers will be quick to say that smoking helps them feel more relaxed or alert. Smokers often contend that smoking is a very effective antidepressant. Some of the early symptoms of oral cancer include a small toothache, or you may not experience any symptoms at all. Oral cancer is a very serious by the time that it is normally detected, which is why it is important to examine your mouth often so that you can detect any changes to be assessed by your dentist.
According to the findings of a study recently published in the Journal of Periodontology, smokers were more likely to have unfavorable results related to dental surgery than non-smokers. The study followed the dental records of two groups of people, smokers and non-smokers, and studied the overall success of various dental procedures done to them. While smoking has always been known to have the ability to damage the gums, it was unexpected when the researchers realized that the surgical procedures done to the smoking group were in overall worse condition as opposed to the other group.
Even if you don't have oral cancer, smoking will still cause long-term issues with halitosis because it releases toxins into the body. Smoking also causes dehydration to allow bacteria to breed on the tongue to create chronic halitosis, which is why you must top smoking right away to prevent these problems.
People who smoke and have had some sort of periodontal plastic surgery should be aware of the negative side effects of smoking. It can be costly to have to repeat a surgery because the desirable outcomes might have been undone by smoking. The Journal also found that it is not just cigarette smokers that have this problem. Cigar and pipe smokers are also likely to experience rapid decay of gum repairs because of their habit. While the damage done has been confirmed, there is still no concrete data on whether or not cigarette smokers had it worse off than pipe or cigar smokers.
If you have halitosis as a smoker, you should get tested as quickly as possible because it could be a symptom of oral cancer. Quitting smoking will give you the opportunity to protect the health of your body from head to toe, and it will also benefit you by preventing the development of oral diseases and chronic halitosis.
