There are plenty of public service announcements, advertisements, and people admonishing how bad smoking is. However, millions of people continue to smoke throughout Canada and the rest of the world. That’s because nicotine is incredibly addictive.
Of all of the drugs that a person can do, nicotine is one of the few that actually alters the neural synapses within the brain. In other words, it can cause a physical addiction rather than just a mental or emotional one.
Smoking can also have a direct impact on dental health and self-confidence. Somebody who is a regular smoker will generally have an odor that lingers with them wherever they go. They often don’t realize it because the more you’re exposed to a particular smell, the more used to it you become. It can also have a direct impact on breath.
Smokers often have significantly bad breath, even if they don’t realize it. They also have a tendency to experience yellowed, stained teeth on a regular basis. Visiting the dentist every six months for a regular cleaning can help to keep some of this under control, but the nicotine will quickly bring back that yellow, stained appearance.
That can make it uncomfortable for somebody to want to smile. Anyone who is self-conscious about the way their teeth look will have a tendency to smile less frequently and that can have a direct impact on their self-esteem and confidence levels.
Smoking can also cause oral cancer. There’s limited research to indicate the chances smoker may get oral cancer, but when they do it has a high mortality rate. In fact, survival rates from oral cancer are less than 50%, on average.
Anybody who smokes but takes their oral health seriously should take some time to consider giving it up. Today there are many options that can help curb the desire to smoke. Nicotine patches and e-cigarettes (electronic cigarettes) are some of the most effective.
Anyone who has concerns about their oral health as a result of smoking, should visit their dentist for a thorough checkup.