The negative impact that smoking can have on your overall health is well-known. As such, it’s probably not too surprising to learn that using cigarettes could cause problems for your smile. In particular, there’s a connection between smoking and dry mouth – and the latter is linked to gum disease and various other oral health complications. Here’s what you need to know about the effect smoking can have on your grin.
Smoking and Dry Mouth
Having a dry mouth means that your body isn’t producing enough saliva. There are a few possible causes of dry mouth, but smoking is one of the leading ones. Simply put, using cigarettes can inflame your salivatory glands, thus interfering with saliva flow.
A study published in the Journal of Dental Research, Dental Clinics, Dental Prospects looked at the effects smoking can have on oral health. The researchers found that around 39% of smokers reported symptoms of dry mouth while only 12% of non-smokers did the same. This indicates that your chances of developing dry mouth will be significantly higher if you smoke.
Why is Dry Mouth Such a Serious Problem?
Saliva plays an important role in keeping your mouth clean and healthy. As such, dry mouth can be a serious threat to your oral health. In particular, without a sufficient supply of saliva to get rid of harmful oral bacteria, your chances of suffering from gum disease will significantly increase. This is especially the case if your dry mouth is related to a smoking habit; tobacco products can weaken your body’s ability to fight infection, making gum disease even more likely to occur.
How Can You Protect Yourself from Dry Mouth?
If you’re trying to minimize your risk of developing major oral health issues such as gum disease, then you need to take steps to ensure that your mouth is producing plenty of saliva. Obviously, one step you can take is to give up smoking. This is often easier said than done, but if you talk to your regular physician, they should be able to point you in the direction of resources that can help you break your smoking habit.
There are also a few other things you can do to make sure your mouth stays moist, including:
- Sipping water throughout the day.
- Chewing on sugarless gum to encourage saliva production.
- Putting an ice cube in your mouth and letting it melt.
- Staying away from alcohol.
If you have any concerns about dry mouth or gum disease, let your dentist know. Once they have a full picture of your oral health situation, they can give you tips for maintaining a healthy oral environment.
About the Author
Dr. Nicholas Baldelli went to the Boston University Goldman School of Dental Medicine. Today he belongs to the American Dental Association as well as the Rhode Island Dental Association. At Newport Dental Associates, he is able to provide a wide variety of services, such as scaling and root planing for gum disease. To schedule a consultation with Dr. Baldelli, visit his website or call (401) 847-7662.