It always seems like scientists are discovering new reasons why smoking is horrible for you. While you’ve probably heard about how smoking and chewing tobacco are bad for your dental health before, you may not have heard about how it can cause special problems for denture patients. Here’s how tobacco use can complicate your denture treatment and why it’s a great idea to kick the habit.
How Does Smoking Affect My Oral Health?
Tobacco smoke works as an irritant within your body. When you inhale tobacco’s smoke or chew its leaves, your gums harden to protect themselves from the chemicals it contains. Frequently having to defend themselves in this manner is exhausting, and over time this can cause them to atrophy and recede. To make matters worse, the nicotine in tobacco causes blood vessels in the body to constrict, limiting blood flow and making it harder for the gums to heal and fight infections, and the cardiovascular issues a tobacco habit causes make this problem even more difficult to deal with.
How Can Smoking Create Complications for My Dentures?
In order for your dentures to fit properly, they need to be supported by a healthy set of gums. If your dentures don’t fit properly, they can slip and slide about in your mouth, which can cause difficulty or embarrassing situations while eating or speaking.
Smoking has the unfortunate effect of causing the gums to recede and become more vulnerable to infections while also causing the jawbone to atrophy more quickly. As gum tissue and bone structure are lost more quickly, it will become more difficult for your dentures to hold their position. They will require frequent relines from your dentist in order to continue working properly, and in the end, they will need to be replaced sooner due to the changing shape of the mouth. With proper care and maintenance, a set of dentures can last for up to ten years, but smoking can significantly shorten that period.
Smoking also leaves deposits of tar and other nasty substances on your dentures, causing them to develop unsightly stains and discoloration. Dentures can be quite an investment, and smoking can rapidly diminish its returns. Taking proper care of your dentures and your mouth can keep you smiling bright and your jaw and gums healthy for decades.
About the Author
Dr. Stephen Dean earned his dental doctorate from the Medical University of South Carolina and completes many hours of continuing education every year to stay up to date in the dental field. He is a proud member of the American Dental Association, the Georgia Dental Association, and the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. His office in Covington, GA offers preventive, restorative, cosmetic, and emergency dentistry in addition to denture treatments. For more information on keeping your dentures working well and looking great, contact the office online or dial (770) 786-3915.