Smokers vs. The Dentist

The Tough Truth

There's been a lot of good news about smoking in Australia recently. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics the number of smokers in the country has decreased by nearly 10% over the last two decades. Back in 1994 one in four Aussie adults smoked. By 2015 that had been cut to one in seven, and the numbers are still dropping.

However, that's still plenty of people lighting up on a regular basis. Do most of those people probably want to quit? More than likely. But it's tough, we know that. Lots of folks have to try, try and try again before they finally manage to kick the habit for good, so if you're struggling, you're not alone.

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The one thing we do know as dentists is that whether they are actively trying to stop smoking or not, lots of smokers avoid coming to see us. And even if they do, they are often embarrassed, because they know that the lingering 'smoker's breath' and the discolouration years of nicotine causes on the teeth isn't attractive at all. 
 

There are however, even bigger oral health concerns that smokers should be aware of. Smokers are at an increased risk for all of the following:

• A dulled sense of taste and smell, even if they don’t know it. Often, when a person stops smoking it's the first time they realise all of the wonderful taste experiences and everyday scents they've been missing!

• Slow healing after a tooth extraction or other dental surgery. This can seriously impact the effectiveness of what can be rather helpful and sometimes even transformative oral health treatments.

• Gum disease. Gum disease is nasty stuff. It does not just affect smokers of course but it does tend to be a little worse, and harder to treat effectively, if the patient being treated smokes. 

• Oral cancer. This is obviously the biggie. Not to be overly heavy but smoking seriously increases the risk that you will develop some form of oral cancer.
   

By the way, we should point out that it is not just cigarette smokers who are at an increased risk for these oral health problems. Cigar smoking and tobacco chewing can be just as bad. And the bad news for vapers is that an increasing number of dental case studies and research projects are finding that vaping can potentially be as bad for your oral health as smoking regular cigarettes.

The one thing you should not do as you try to kick your habit though? Avoid seeing the dentist on a regular basis. Dentists, although yes, we will try and encourage you to stop smoking/vaping are not overly judgmental people. We get that it's hard and what we'd like to do is to address any damage you've already suffered to your oral health as a smoker while helping you learn to minimise future problems.

If you are still smoking, try all of the following, starting today:

• Cut down as far as you are able. Every little step counts!

• Pay particular attention to brushing your teeth at least twice a day

• Try making use of a smoker's toothpaste (but make sure it's one that contains fluoride too)

• Keep trying to quit. It really is better for your oral health, your overall health and even all the people around you.

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Emergency Dentist Sydney Says:

Smoking is not good for your health, including your oral health. But it should not be a reason to skip dental treatment. Sticking to your regular checkup schedule - and seeking help right away if you experience tooth pain - can help minimize the damage smoking does to your teeth and gums.

What Advice Would You Give Your Younger Self?

What Advice Would You Give Your Younger Self?

At the Emergency Dentist Sydney we got to talking about our habits as children and what we might say to our younger selves. When it comes to dental care and oral hygiene we know now how important it is to begin good habits from a young age. Not everyone is knowledgable on the effects of poor oral hygiene on quality of life in your later years.

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Toothache or pain and loss of teeth, resulting in the inability to chew comfortably can lead to malnutrition, weight loss, weakening of the immune system and infection. As we age we notice the obvious stuff like wrinkles and hair loss but we may not be as aware of changes in our teeth and mouths.

We asked ourselves the question, what advice would you give your younger self about oral hygiene and dental care? These are our top responses:

1. Don’t smoke, if you do, stop, yuk!
2. Stick to the food pyramid when it comes to eating. Eat a variety of food, eat food which is full of vitamins, minerals and fibres and get lots of variety where you can.
3. Visit a dentists regularly for checkups, no excuses.
4. Learn how to floss properly and do it daily.
5. Brush twice daily, regardless of how tired you are at night or how busy you are in the morning.
6. Rinse your mouth with water during the day when you’ve eaten processed foods, sweet foods or foods and drinks that can stain the teeth.
7. Don’t put off dental problems. If you have concerns make sure you see your Dentist and avoid long-term complications.

You may think it doesn’t really matter, you can just get dentures, veneers, browns or crewed in teeth when you’re older, but this comes at some loss to your long term health.

Well looked after teeth are a reflection of your general health. Retaining your real teeth means better health long term. The American Journal of Public Health reports that ‘chewing with removable dentures is at least 30 to 40 percent less efficient than chewing with natural teeth. Persons with extensive or complete tooth loss are more likely to substitute easier-to chew foods such as those rich in saturated fast and cholesterol for foods high in carotenes, vitamin C and fibre’. Poorly looked after gums also comes with an array of long term side effects.

These are a few of the more common side effects of poor oral health:

1. Loss. To the structure of your jaw and face.
2. Cardiovascular Disease. Bacteria from inflamed mums and periodontal disease can enter your bloodstream and travel to your arteries in the heart. This can then cause such things as heart attack or stroke resulting in an endocarditis or myocarditis.
3. Dementia. Bacteria from gingivitis may enter the brain and can lead to the development of Alzheimer’s disease.
4. Respiratory Infections. The Journal of Periodontology warns gum disease can cause infections in your lungs, including pneumonia. This isn’t always an instant infection but, imagine breathing in bacteria over time from infected teeth and gums.
5. Diabetic Complications. Poor oral hygiene can make it harder to control your blood sugar. This can increase the symptoms of diabetes and make them worse.

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The #EmergencyDentist Says:

The the beauty of hindsight means we can see how things could be. With the knowledge of what can very well happen, we think sticking to these 7 tips will keep your oral health and your general health kicking strong in to the future.