People who smoke tend to suffer from many dental problems such as bad breath, stained teeth, gum diseases, loss of taste & smell, plaque bluildup and increased chances of oral cancer.

The more serious problem such as oral cancer & gum disease occur from reduced blood circulation to the mouth that is caused by smoking. It is generally seen that 90% of those with cancer of mouth and throat use or have used tobacco for a period of time.

Consequences of smoking:

1. Discoloration of Teeth: Stained teeth occurs because of nicotine & tar present in tobacco. It can make your teeth yellow initially and then brown in chain smokers.

2. Inflammation of salivary gland opening: Glands that produce saliva are called salivary gland. Inflammation may lead to decreased saliva production and hence dry mouth.

3. Malodour: Dry mouth tend to cause bad breath. Also presence of these chemicals such as nicotine and tar linger in the mouth for hours causing the characteristic smoker’s breath.

4. Delayed healing after extraction of tooth or surgery: Smoking causes lack of oxygen in blood stream, not letting the wounds to heal as oxygen promotes wound healing. For the basic step of healing, fibroblasts to lay down collagen properly, ample amount of oxygen is required.

5. Increased bone loss in jaw: Bone loss is directly proportional to tooth loss.

6. Lower success rate of dental implants: After tooth loss, replacement for that tooth is dental implant, which also offers lower success rate in person who has this deliterious habit of smoking.

7. Risk of leukoplakia: Leukoplakia are pre cancerous lesions in mouth. It appears as thick white patches on the inside surface of mouth.

8. Increased plaque & tartar buildup: This all can lead to inflammation of the gums & ultimately bleeding while brushing.

9. Increased risk of gum diseases: Smoking can increase the number of bacteria in your mouth that cause gum disease. In severe case this can cause the teeth to fall out.

10. Increased risk of developing Oral Cancer: Two third of the mouth cancer is linked with smoking. Dry mouth leads to the occurrence of mouth ulcers & mouth ulcers persisting for more than 3 weeks is a warning sign for oral cancer.

Conclusion

All these consequences of smoking has a very bad effect on your health. This can make you socially awkward when you have stained teeth, bad breath to fatal consequences of cancer. Quitting it is the only sane option available.