Western Dental Warns of Dangers of Smoking, Vaping and Tobacco on Your Teeth and Gums

Nearly 40 million people in the U.S. smoke and 4.7 million middle and
high school students use a tobacco product including e-cigarettes,
according to the Centers for Disease Control.

No matter how you look at it – whether you smoke, chew tobacco, or vape
e-cigarettes – the use of tobacco products can cause serious health
problems, including extreme damage to the health of your gums and teeth.

Before you light up that cigarette, vape or chew tobacco, Western Dental
& Orthodontics urges people to consider the damage it can have to your
teeth and overall oral hygiene:

• Cancer. Tobacco use is linked to many types of cancers,
  including mouth, throat, esophagus, cheek, gum, lip and tongue cancer.
  Chemicals in e-cigarette vapors cause changes in the genetic make up
  of cells in the mouth, causing sustained inflammation and, long term,
  can trigger the development of cancer
• Cavities. Chewing tobacco is loaded with sugar, which can erode
  your tooth enamel
• Gum disease. Tobacco's sugars and irritants can cause gum
  infections. Over time, gum disease can lead to tooth loss. Signs
  include red swollen gums, sensitive teeth, loose teeth, tooth loss
• Precancerous mouth lesions. Chewing tobacco can cause lesions
  where the chew is placed and can become cancerous
• Longer healing time. Smoking and chewing tobacco will hinder
  the healing process following oral surgery

“Western Dental cautions all its patients about the dangers of smoking
and the use of tobacco products,” said Dr. John Luther, Chief Dental
Officer at Western Dental. “Smoking causes gum disease to progress
faster, leading to the loss of teeth.”

Smokers and tobacco users have twice the risk for gum disease compared
to a non-smoker. While some think vaping is safer, it can also cause
tooth decay, gum inflammation, and excessive bacteria in your mouth.

If you are a smoker and trying to quit, Western Dental recommends the
following to avoid gum disease:

• Brush your teeth. Although this is important for everyone's
  dental health, teeth brushing is especially important for people who
  smoke. An ADA-approved toothpaste is best
• Rinse with an anti-tar mouthwash. Anti-tar mouthwashes will
  help dissolve and remove stubborn tobacco tar stains
• Floss daily. You’ll help to minimize plaque where bacteria
  thrive
• Visit your dentist regularly. A dentist can help keep any
  problems in check and prevent more serious issues

ABOUT WESTERN DENTAL

Western Dental (with its affiliates, including Brident Dental &
Orthodontics, Access Dental, Blue Hills Dental, South Texas Dental and
Vital Smiles) is one of the nation’s largest dental providers and is the
leader in accessible, affordable oral healthcare, serving approximately
2.9 million patient visits annually in 317 affiliated offices throughout
California, Texas, Arizona, Nevada and Alabama. In addition to general
dentistry, Western Dental offers orthodontics, oral surgery, pediatric
dentistry, periodontics and endodontics in its offices, creating a
convenient full service “Dental Home.”

In California, Western Dental is the leading provider of services to
both adults and children in the Denti-Cal program – part of the Medi-Cal
public insurance program that provides health care benefits for more
than 13 million low-income individuals and families. Western Dental
dentists provided care to more than a half-million Denti-Cal
beneficiaries in 2017 and is committed to continuing to partner with the
State to improve the program. In Texas, Western Dental is the leading
provider of Medicaid services and recently entered into a
first-of-its-kind agreement to participate in a value-based care and
payment model under the state’s Medicaid program.

All of Western Dental’s services are backed by a unique quality
assurance system that electronically monitors all patient visits,
treatments, dental staff and clinical performance to enable high-quality
care. To learn more about Western Dental or inquire about an office in
your community, visit www.westerndental.com
or call 1-800-6-DENTAL.

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