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Dental risks of smokeless tobacco

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  • 72nd Dental Clinic
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  One thing dentists commonly hear when they tell patients to refrain from smoking after having teeth removed is, "Well, smokeless tobacco is not as bad for your mouth, right?" Wrong.

Smokeless tobacco can cause bad breath, discolor teeth, promote cavities, gum recession and even cancer. In fact, there are 28 carcinogens, or cancer causing agents, found in smokeless tobacco.

For instance, a person using smokeless tobacco is four to six times more likely to develop oral cancer than a non-user, and the area where the tobacco is placed is 50 times more likely to develop oral cancer.

Studies show that more than 60 percent of daily smokeless-tobacco users have actually developed lesions in their mouths. The most common of these is leukoplakia, a white patch or plaque inside the mouth that cannot be scraped off.

These lesions are precancerous and often develop into cancer. Red sores may also be found in areas where the smokeless tobacco has come into contact with mouth tissue.

If one discontinues the use of smokeless tobacco products, these lesions often eventually go away. In other cases, if the lesions do become cancerous, surgery is required to remove cancer from the mouth, throat, cheek, gum, lip or tongue and can leave the jaw, chin, neck or face disfigured.

Smokeless tobacco also contains coarse particles which can cause the gums to pull away from the teeth. Receding gums and bone loss around teeth can cause the root of the tooth to become exposed, making them more sensitive to hot and cold temperatures, which can often be painful. Teeth will also loosen with time and may fall out. These coarse particles also wear away the outside of teeth, making them more vulnerable to cavities and temperature sensitivity. The high sugar content in these products further contributes to cavities.

In addition to these potential health risks, smokeless tobacco actually contains more nicotine than cigarettes. Therefore, the staff at the 72nd Dental Clinic recommends against using it as a method to help stop smoking.

For more information, call the 72nd Dental Clinic at 736-2000 or visit the American Dental Association Web site at www.ada.org or National Cancer Institute at www.nci.nih.gov.