October is here and that means that the annual Stoptober campaign is underway. Most people know about the impact of smoking on your heart and lungs but giving up smoking can also be hugely beneficial for your teeth. If you are thinking of trying to quit after being inspired by Stoptober, we are here to help! Research suggests that if you can avoid smoking for a month, you have a really good chance of quitting for good.

How smoking affects your oral health

When you smoke, you expose your body to numerous toxic chemicals and some of them can be incredible harmful to your oral health. Smoking increases the risk of gum disease because it slows blood flow to your gums, it increases healing time after dental treatment and it puts you at risk of failed dental implant treatment. It is also very common for smokers to suffer from bad breath and smoking also discolours and stains the teeth.

One of the most alarming effects of smoking is an elevated risk of oral cancer. Oral cancer affects the soft tissue in the mouth and smoking is the main risk factor. Many people don’t know much about oral cancer, but it has become increasingly common in the UK in the last ten years, with the number of cases rising by almost a third.

How Stoptober can help

Giving up smoking has benefits for almost every organ in the body. In terms of your oral health, quitting will decrease your risk of oral diseases such as gum disease and help you avoid staining and bad breath. You’ll also have a lower risk of mouth cancer.

Giving up smoking isn’t easy, but if you want to try, we’re here to help and support you and cheer you on. Get in touch now if you’d like to find out more.