Hello Royal Oak dental friends. Today’s topic is ‘The Dangers Of Smokeless Tobacco’.
Cigarette sales at most Royal Oak stores have decreased in the past decade, but some Royal Oak tobacco consumers have switched to smokeless products.
There is a common misconception in the Royal Oak area (especially among teens) that smokeless tobacco is harmless. This is absolutely not true. Regardless of the specific type: spit tobacco, snuff, chew, or pinch, this form of tobacco is as deadly as conventional cigarettes.
At Duffield Dentistry, we encounter serious consequences of smokeless tobacco use because many occur in the mouth. Oral cancer, mouth lesions, gum disease and tooth decay are the most common dental problems caused by smokeless tobacco.
Keeping a pinch between your cheek and gum all day is worse than keeping an all-day sucker. The tobacco contains almost as much sugar as the candy but delivers harmful chemicals as an added bonus. The dangers are two-fold: the tobacco erodes the teeth and also causes the gums to pull away from teeth.
Precancerous Mouth Lesion Screening: Mouth lesions are painful sores that could eventually become cancer. If smokeless tobacco use is stopped, the lesions often disappear within a year for Royal Oak cosmetic dental patients.
Oral Cancer in Royal Oak: Smokeless tobacco use increases the risk for several types of life-threatening cancers including those of the mouth, gums, lips, tongue, and throat.
Oral cancers can be as deadly as lung cancer and usually require surgery. If the patient is fortunate and the cancer is successfully removed with surgery, the collateral damage to the face, neck, or jaw is not pretty.
These are the main dental risks of smokeless tobacco. I should also mention two other biggies: addiction and heart disease, though those are topics for another day.
At Duffield Dentistry in Royal Oak, we perform thorough general dentistry examinations to watch for these symptoms. To schedule an appointment, call (248) 541-1388.
If want to quit using smokeless tobacco products, we recommend that you consult Dr. Duffield at Duffield Dentistry, your Royal Oak primary care doctor, or your pharmacist.
Duffield Dentistry
2009 Crooks Rd
Royal Oak, Michigan 48073
https://duffielddentistry.com