The dangers of smoking to health need not be doubted. Not only the heart and lungs, smoking can also cause impaired oral and dental health. Therefore, this bad habit needs to be stopped immediately.
Maintaining dental and oral health is important as part of maintaining personal health. This is because the teeth and mouth have various functions for humans, from speaking to consuming food and drinks. A healthy mouth and teeth can also support appearance.
However, oral and dental health can be disrupted by various bad habits and one of them is smoking. This habit is quite difficult to break. In fact, disruption of oral and dental health will have an impact on overall body health.
The Impact of Smoking on Oral Health
Smoking is one of the causes of the increased risk of disorders of the teeth and gums, especially in adults. Smoking is known to block blood flow to the gums, making the gums malnourished and prone to infection.
In addition, there are several problems with the teeth and mouth that can be experienced by an active smoker, including:
- Tooth discoloration
- Bad breath
- Decreased bone density in the jaw
- Inflammation of the gums or periodontitis
- Cavity
- Teeth fall out or fall out
- Plaque buildup and tartar build-up
- Oral cancer risk
- Inflammation of the salivary glands
- The appearance of white patches in the mouth or leukoplakia
In addition to the above conditions, smoking can also increase the risk of failure in various dental and oral treatments, including root canal treatment.
Tips for Quitting Smoking
Research shows that by quitting smoking, the risk of oral health problems will decrease drastically. One of the therapies that can be done to stop smoking is the NRT method.nicotine replacement therapy).
The NRT method is believed to be quite effective in stopping smoking and is relatively safe for everyone. This therapy can be done with several options, namely:
- Nicotine gum, used by chewing slowly for 30 minutes
- Lozenges are used by sucking between the gums and the inside of the cheek
- Sublingual tablets are placed under the tongue and allowed to dissolve on their own
- inhaler, used by inhalation regularly and according to the dose
- Transdermal, shaped like a patch and affixed to the skin surface
Whether you are a smoker or not, maintaining oral and dental health is an important thing to do. You are advised to regularly brush your teeth twice a day, use dental floss, and rinse your mouth using mouthwash ormouthwash.
If you are an active smoker and have the desire to quit smoking, do not hesitate to consult a doctor to find out the solution. Especially if you experience some symptoms of mouth disorders, such as bleeding gums, sensitive teeth, swollen gums, and bad breath that doesn't go away.
For faster handling, you can also take advantage of the features chat in the ALODOKTER application to check yourself regarding oral health problems due to smoking habits.
