Four Ways Stopping Smoking Will Help Your Teeth

We tend to focus on our heart and lungs when we talk about the benefits of giving up smoking, but did you know that quitting can also have major benefits for your teeth? Here are just 4 of the reasons your oral health will improve when you stop smoking:

  1. Reduced risk of gum disease: smoking reduces blood flow to the gums, which increases the risk of gum disease. Gum disease is the most common cause of tooth loss in British adults. Signs to look out for include swollen and sore gums, increased redness and bleeding when you brush.
  2. Lower risk of bad breath: smoking is one of the leading causes of bad breath. Although brushing your teeth and hewing sugar-free gum can help to disguise odours, nothing will work better than giving up smoking.
  3. Cleaner, whiter teeth: cigarettes contain hundreds of different chemicals, many of which can stain and discolour your teeth. If you smoke, you may have noticed that your teeth have a yellow or brown tinge. Giving up smoking will help to prevent further staining and make you smile look whiter and brighter.
  4. Decreased risk of oral cancer: did you know that the number of cases of oral cancer diagnosed in the UK has increased by over a third in the last ten years? Oral cancer affects the soft tissue in the mouth. Smoking is the leading risk factor for mouth cancer, and it is particularly dangerous when combined with drinking alcohol. If you drink and smoke, you’re up to 30 times more likely to develop oral cancer than a non-smoker who doesn’t drink.

If you want to give up smoking, our expert dental team is on hand to help. We have expertise and experience in providing advice and support to patients who are trying to give up smoking, and we’re here to cheer you on every step of the way.