SPRINGFIELD, MISSOURI-We would like to invite any of our patients who use tobacco to improve their oral health and prevent disease by quitting on May 31, the annual World No Tobacco Day in the U.S.
“Most people know the long-term, adverse effects tobacco products have on their health, but they might not realize the extent of the imminent danger tobacco poses for their oral health,” says Dr. Kelly Barnett.
The World Health Organization uses the event as part of their Tobacco Free Initiative, whose goal is to significantly reduce the toll of tobacco-related diseases and deaths around the world. Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of death. It is second only to hypertension as the leading cause of death worldwide and is responsible for one in 10 adults’ deaths. Last year, more than five million people died from a tobacco-related heart attack, stroke, cancer, lung ailment or other disease.
“Tobacco use and its lethal effects are an epidemic that we wish our patients would avoid,” says Dr. Marc Barnett, who has been at the Springfield, MO periodontist‘s practice for more than 25 years.
The long-term consequences of tobacco use are often easier to ignore than the immediate effects, which can be a more tangible motivator to quit, says the Springfield cosmetic dentistry and smile makeover expert. Tobacco causes many common oral health problems, including teeth and teeth-colored filling stains, bad breath, tooth loss, mouth sores and facial wrinkling. It also increases the risk of major oral health problems, such as periodontal disease and oral cancer, and because of the suppressed immune system response, it lengthens the recovery time after oral infections and surgeries. Not only that, many chewing tobacco products are full of sugar, which increases dental decay rates and causes gum recession.
“As your family dentists, we want all of you to have beautiful, healthy smiles and a lifetime of optimal oral health,” says Dr. Tracy Davis, who is a dental implants specialist. “Please know that we are always willing to listen, counsel and support you in improving your quality of life.”
Get more information about the Tobacco Free Initiative and the oral health risks associated with tobacco use at the World Health Organization website. Resources and information about tobacco-cessation are available at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.
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