Kicking the Tobacco Habit is Good for your Mouth
April 22, 2021
More Than Just Stained Teeth
From its seemingly mild side effects (bad breath, tooth discoloration, buildup of plaque and tartar), to the more sinister (increased risk of oral cancer, loss of bone within the jaw, gum disease and any number of resulting complications) – tobacco is indeed an oral health risk.
Tobacco can cause serious health issues by breaking down the attachment of bone and soft tissue to your teeth. Because of this breakdown, the use of tobacco makes smokers much more susceptible to infection and diseases. In fact, 90% of people who have cancer of the mouth, throat, or gums admit to using tobacco in some form.
Cigarettes, cigars and pipes aren’t the only culprits; smokeless tobacco can be just as detrimental to oral health, if not worse. In fact, there are twenty-eight chemicals found in chewing tobacco alone that are proven to increase the risk of cancer in the mouth, throat, and esophagus. Chewing tobacco and snuff contain higher levels of nicotine than those found in cigarettes and other Tobacco products, making it exposes the roots, and ultimately makes teeth more susceptible to decay.
Help is Just Next Door
The only way to help eliminate these risks is to never start using tobacco products, or to quit if you do. In fact, simply reducing tobacco use is proven to help lower your risks. If you feel that it is time to reduce your risk of cancer, gum disease, infection and other oral complications, your dentist or doctor can help you create a plan to help you quit using tobacco, along with prescribing certain medicines or programs to help you kick the habit. Here at ProSmile Dentistry, programs we’ve shared with patients have helped make a difference in their lives, while helping protect their health at the same time.
Remember, it is never too late to quit. If you’re interested in getting help to quit, let us know the next time you’re in for an appointment.
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We understand that we are in the midst of a concerning, confusing time. Our office wants to ensure that our patients and staff stay healthy. Starting tomorrow we will be cancelling all appointments through the end of March. Those of you with appointments in the next two weeks our team will be reaching out to reschedule to a later date. We will be available daily at the office for EMERGENCIES ONLY from 9:00 AM- 2:00 PM. We have the following procedures in place: We continue to disinfect our treatment rooms in between each patient. This includes disinfecting the exam chair, work surfaces, light handles, and instruments. We continue to use rubber dams for most patient procedures, vacuums and suction, use of eye wear and masks for the staff; all of which reduce potential spread and infection of any illness within our office. We are increasing the frequency in which we are disinfecting the patient lounge, pens, clipboards, and beverage station. We are screening patients to determine risk for ANY seasonal infections, but also for COVID-19. We thank you in advance for understanding if we ask you to reschedule your appointment. We are temporarily a “no handshake” environment for the safety of our patients. Dr. Maricarmen says feel free to “elbow bump” her! We have moved our air purifier to the waiting room as a preventative measure. We ask that our team members and patients follow these procedures: Please wash your hands prior to entry of our office and use hand sanitizer upon your arrival. If you are sick, exhibiting any symptoms of a virus, have been exposed to a COVID-19 patient, or have traveled outside of the country, please call us to reschedule your appointment. Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue and dispose of it immediately. Avoid touching your face and mouth. We appreciate your cooperation at this time and thank you for your understanding. Our staff will keep you updated to any changes.
Summer time is officially here! This means having fun in the sun with your friends and families at parties, barbecues, at the beach, and more! While it’s certainly a time to celebrate and have a great time since school and other obligations are put on hold, there’s one thing that we want to protect and that’s your smile. Your Syracuse dentist will discuss how to keep up with your dental and oral hygiene and care this summer. Find a Healthy Diet and Stick With It! We understand that it can be easy to fall into a bad diet during the summer. With all of the barbecues and backyard parties full of snacks, sweets and treats, it’ll certainly be difficult to ignore it. While it’s fun to splurge, make sure that you’re still eating right for a majority of your meals. This means limiting the amount of snacking that you’re doing—if you can’t help but snack, try to replace the chips and candies with celery, carrots, or other healthy vegetables! It also highly recommended not to eat very late at night, especially if you plan on going to bed relatively soon. You’re allowing the bacteria and food particles to linger in your mouth overnight instead of giving your body time to properly digest. If you eat and then go to bed, you’re also skipping your nightly brushing routine, making it easier for your teeth to suffer from cavities and potential decay. Eat at appropriate times and don’t forget to brush and floss your teeth before you go to bed to protect your smile! Drink Water—Lots of It It’s no secret that summertime can bring some of the hottest recorded temperatures around, which is why it’s important to stay hydrated. This won’t only help your dental health, but it’ll help your overall health, too! In between meals, try to consume as much water as possible, since there are many popular drinks that can cause you to dehydrate or dry out your mouth (coffee, sodas, sports drinks, alcohol). Protect Your Teeth as You Play Sports Summer is a great time to participate in a number of sports activities, like baseball, soccer, football, and more! But accidents can happen and your teeth can easily suffer from a hit. Most dental injuries in children are sports related, so we recommend using mouth guards for these times. There is no intention of anyone getting hurt, but that doesn’t mean it can’t potentially happen! Your teeth will thank you in the morning. If you want to learn some more helpful summer tips about protecting your smile, or if you’d like to make an appointment for your bi-annual check-up, don’t hesitate to call ProSmile Dentistry at (315)475-4559 today! We wish you a happy, safe and healthy summer!
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