The health implications of smoking according to our hygienist

Smoking can cause many problems to an individual's well-being. It can cause dangerous illnesses such as cancer, stroke, heart disease, lung diseases, diabetes and many other general health issues. Smoking can affect a person's oral health due to its destructive chemicals, causing a higher risk of oral cancer and other dental issues such as gum disease, which may result in the loss of teeth. Furthermore, there is a higher chance of decay in the roots of the teeth and several complications after the removal of teeth.

At Sheen Dental, our hygienist Richmond can provide smoking cessation advice with the aid of our preventive dentistry team and in-house smoking cessation advisor. Our advisor's role is to provide guidance and additional support when you decide to stop smoking.

The reason why smokers have gum disease is that smoking disrupts the natural blood flow and can decrease the oxygen content in the bloodstream so, when the gums receive less oxygen and nutrients, they gradually begin to degrade with time. Moreover, there is a higher chance of infection in the gums, which could lead to more teeth falling out. Smoking also has a high chance of causing both oral and throat cancer given the carcinogens that are inhaled. If you plan to stop smoking, please feel free to book an appointment with our hygienist Richmond.

Benefits of quitting smoking

There are many health and life benefits when making the decision to quit smoking. Here, our hygienist Richmond lists out a few major ones.

Less stress

Right after an individual quits smoking, the withdrawal period will kick in and can be hard to endure. This is because once a person has disassociated themselves from nicotine usage, it can heighten their feelings of stress.

When nicotine reaches the brain, it can cause the release of dopamine, which is a neurotransmitter that plays a role in our pleasure response. This dopamine then temporarily brings about a sense of relaxation thus making users believe that it reduces their stress, but this is far from reality. In fact, studies have shown that stress levels actually decrease once the withdrawal stage has been overcome. People tend to smoke to eliminate stress levels; however, there are many healthier alternatives to do this, including therapy and exercise.

Improvements in smell and taste

Because of the number of intoxicants and harmful chemicals in tobacco smoke, sensory receptors in the mouth and nose can be destroyed over time. Hence, once you have stopped smoking, the taste of food will become much more apparent and your sense of smell will improve a great deal.

Younger looking skin

By avoiding smoking, you can hugely improve the appearance and texture of your skin. It has been shown that smoking is one of the main causes of premature ageing. So, quitting tobacco can help delay the signs of ageing, such as wrinkles.

Brighter teeth and better breath

By quitting tobacco usage, you can stop your teeth from further staining and, in turn, you will have fresher breath and a cleaner-looking smile.