People have developed various habits and lifestyles out of stress or just for the fun of it. One of the most common habits people have to relieve stress or just to pass the time is smoking. Picking up this habit at a young age until adulthood can give you serious health problems but the most observable effects can be easily spotted with your smile.
The effects of smoking paired up with drinking alcohol can potentially damage your liver and other organs in your body. A lot of smokers shrug off warnings about their health mostly because it all happens inside their bodies but it’s another ball game when the damage is more visible.
One of the many indicators of a person’s smoking habit is gum disease. Gum disease at its severe stage can affect the bone structure that holds your teeth in place. It all starts in the overwhelming effects of the thousands of chemicals each time you puff a cigarette. Your teeth and gums rely on your immune system to fight off bacterial infection and by smoking this defense system of the body is impaired. The bacteria in your mouth clump together and attach to the base of your teeth and as plaque gets into the gums, this eventually leads to gum disease. Smoking has always been a contributing factor in the rise of gum disease cases in adults. Smokers can be observed to have hard calcified plaque and tartar. In severe cases, this has become the reason for tooth falling out or extractions.
The onset of gum disease would give you red gums, bleeding gums especially when you brush or eat, and sensitive teeth. The severe cases of gum disease can leave you with sensitive teeth. This is because the gums tend to recede in severe cases of gum disease exposing the more sensitive parts of your teeth. Receding gums will eventually make your teeth worn out.
Smokers should take into consideration that smoking not only impairs the ability of the immune system to fight bacterial infection; but it also prevents healing the gum damage and other organs. This puts them twice at risk of gum disease and tooth loss.
Your daily routine like brushing, flossing and using mouthwash helps a lot in getting rid of plaque and the likelihood of infections. It is an important step to make these efforts especially if you’re still not ready to kick the habit any time soon. Dental appointments are also very important to get those plaques build-up professionally cleaned. Deep cleaning is indeed needed as the plaque usually adheres below the gum line. Severe cases of gum disease also require patients to undergo surgery to replace or redevelop bones on parts where severe gum disease is.
There are several of ways to keep your natural teeth intact, like visiting www.emergencydentistchicagoillinois.com/24-hour-dentist-chicago. Tooth loss can be upsetting especially when you lose it from vices and bad habits. Consult your dentist for more information on your current dental health status and learn to once and for all kick the smoking habit.