The History of Dentistry

How to Minimise the Effects of Smoking Cigarettes on Your Oral Health

28 July 2015

Regina Carlson

Smoking cigarettes poses a range of dental risks. It increase your risk of cavities and gum disease, and it makes it take longer to heal after an oral surgery. Although you should ideally quit smoking, if you cannot quit or just don't want to, there are ways to reduce some of its impact on your mouth:

1. Use a brush with stiff bristles

When you smoke cigarettes, sticky tar builds up on your teeth. So that you can remove as much of this tar as possible when you brush, use a brush with stiff bristles. Talk with your dentist about which type of toothbrush to use along your gums.

Smoking can have a terrible effect on your gums, but using stiff bristles on the gums can wear them down. Instead, your dentist may advise stiff bristles for your teeth but soft bristles for your gums and tongue.

2. Brush immediately after smoking

Once you have chosen a toothbrush, make sure that you use it every time after you smoke a cigarette. If that isn't possible, substitute sugar-free gum or chewing gum with xylitol. Also, create a steady flossing routine. 

3. Use a strong mouth wash

In addition to the risk of cavities and gum disease created by smoking, smokers may also suffer from bad breath. To combat that, use a strong mouth wash. Make sure it boasts antiseptic properties as well. That way, it can also kill smoking-related germs in your mouth as well as bad breath.

4. Schedule regular cleanings with a dental hygienist

In addition to anything you can do at home, enlist the help of a dental hygienist to keep your mouth clean. Ideally, you should meet with this professional at least twice a year or more depending on your dentist's recommendation. They can professionally clean the tar off your teeth, apply whitening products if requested and put on a layer of fluoride to help seal your teeth against future issues. Make sure to tell your dental hygienist and your dentist that you smoke so they address its side effects during your appointment.

5. Try vaping

If you are not ready to quit smoking for any reason, you may want to consider vaping. Vaping uses a device that looks and feels like a cigarette. You get the hit of nicotine you want, but instead of being burned, it is vaporised. As a result, your teeth don't get the tar and smoke damage that they get from conventional cigarettes.

To learn more, contact a company like Swansea Family Dental with any questions you have.

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