How Smoking Affects Your Teeth and Gums: Risks and Prevention

Smoking tobacco can cause damage to almost all organs in your body. However, the damage caused to your mouth is one of the first issues you’ll face. When you inhale tobacco smoke it can cause damage to teeth, gums, tongue and soft tissues. This is due to the thousands of harmful chemicals that will enter your mouth. These chemicals can cause disruption to your natural oral flora, cause problems with blood flow, bone loss and affect your immune system.

By understanding how smoking affects your teeth and gums you can take control of your health. Smoking tobacco is seen as a large risk factor for long term oral diseases. This full guide will look at the physical effects of smoking on your mouth, how it affects your biology and what you can do to protect your smile.

How Does Smoking Affect Your Oral Health?

How Does Smoking Weaken Your Immune System?

Your mouth contains an immune system that helps your body fight off bacteria that can cause decay. Inhaling hot tobacco smoke will cause many harmful chemicals to enter your mouth. These include nicotine, tar, carbon monoxide and heavy metals.

• Lower Antibodies; Smoking can decrease the amount of antibodies (Immunoglobulin A (IgA) and Immunoglobulin G (IgG)) produced in your saliva. This causes your gums to have no protection from aggressive bacterial plaque.

• Impaired White Blood Cells; Smoking causes the white blood cells called neutrophils to be impaired. Neutrophils are the main defense cells of your immune system to fight gum infection. Due to nicotine impairing these cells bacteria can increase rapidly.

• Slower Healing Time; Smoking can cause a decrease in oxygen to your tissues. This causes your mouth to heal slower if you have any minor injuries, cuts to your gums or extraction.

How Does Smoking Decrease Blood Flow to Your Gums?

Your gums need good blood flow to keep them firm, pink and strong. However, smoking causes the blood vessels in your body to constrict due to nicotine.

• No Bleeding; Smoking causes your blood flow to be limited to your gums due to nicotine. This means rarely will you have bleeding gums which is a common sign of gingivitis. However your gums may appear pale and firm. This is due to severe infection underneath.

• No Oxygen; Smoking causes the small blood vessels in your mouth to stop providing enough oxygen to your soft tissues. This can cause your tissues to become dead.

• Tissue Breakdown; Due to no proper blood flow to your gums your gum margins will start to recede. This causes your teeth roots to be exposed to temperature changes and decay.

How Does Smoking Increase the Risk of Severe Periodontitis?

Periodontitis is a severe form of gum disease. It causes destruction to your soft tissue and jaw bone. Studies have shown that smokers are more likely to suffer with severe periodontitis.

• Deep Pockets; The chemicals in tobacco cause your gums to detach from your teeth roots. This creates deep pockets in your gums. Bacteria can gather in these pockets and can’t be reached with a normal toothbrush.

• Jaw Bone Loss; The toxins in tobacco smoke cause chronic inflammation. This activates osteoclast cells which are responsible for breaking down bone in your body. This causes your jaw bone to break down.

• Tooth Mobility; As your jaw bone breaks down your teeth will start to become very loose and cause pain. This can cause your bite to shift and cause complete tooth loss.

How Does Smoking Increase the Risk of Tooth Loss?

Tooth loss is the last stage of gum disease and bone loss caused by smoking tobacco. Smoking adults are twice as likely to suffer with tooth loss.

• Loss of Structure; Once your ligaments and jaw bone has been broken down by the toxins in tobacco your natural teeth won’t be able to withstand the force from chewing.

• Complex Extractions; Due to your teeth being in such a poor condition dentists often have to extract your teeth. This is to prevent further infection to your facial bones.

• Difficult Repairs; If you’ve lost a number of natural teeth you’ll have to have artificial teeth. This can cause problems when eating, speaking and affects your appearance.

How Does Smoking Cause Bad Breath and Teeth Staining?

Smoking causes severe damage to your smile. This can cause you to lose confidence and affect your social life.

• Staining; The tar and nicotine in tobacco smoke can cause staining to your teeth. This is due to the chemicals getting into the tiny pores in your enamel. This can cause your natural white teeth to turn yellow, dark brown or black.

• Bad Breath; Inhaling old smoke can cause harsh odor in your lungs and mouth. This can’t be removed with mint or mouthwash.

• Dry Mouth; Smoking can cause a decrease in saliva. Saliva helps clean your mouth. Without enough saliva bacteria will thrive and cause bad breath and increase tooth decay.

How Does Smoking Affect Dental Implants?

Dental implants are the best way to replace missing teeth. However, smoking can cause a decrease in success rates. Dental surgeons have found that smokers have a much higher failure rate.

• Failure to Bond; Dental implants need to bond completely with your jaw bone. Nicotine causes the bone cells not to grow properly causing failure of the implant.

• High Risk of Peri-Implantitis; Smokers often suffer with peri-implantitis. This causes bacterial infection around your implant. This causes bone loss and requires the implant to be surgically removed.

• High Failure Rate; Due to lack of oxygen to your tissues, dental extractions, bone grafting and sinus lifts will suffer from high failure rates.

How Does Smoking Increase the Risk of Oral Cancer?

Oral cancer is the most dangerous risk of smoking tobacco. Tobacco smoke is classed as a main carcinogen for humans. There are over 70 known carcinogens in tobacco smoke.

• Damaged DNA; The carcinogens in tobacco smoke can cause damage to the DNA in your oral cells. This causes abnormal mutation and quick tumor growth.

• Common Areas; Oral cancer commonly occurs on the sides of your tongue, underneath your tongue (floor of the mouth), soft palate and inner cheeks.

• Increased Risk with Alcohol; If you smoke tobacco and drink alcohol you’re at a much higher risk of oral cancer than non-users. Alcohol acts as a solvent helping the tobacco carcinogens to get into your mucosal cells quicker.

What Are the Signs of Tobacco Damage to Your Mouth?

By detecting oral disease early your dentist can help. Smokers should regularly check their mouth for any changes.

• Red/White Patches; Check for any unusual red patches (erythroplakia) or thick white patches (leukoplakia). These shouldn’t go away after 2 weeks.

• Ulcers/Lumps; Check for any ulcers that won’t heal, rough patches, hard lumps or numb areas in your mouth or on your jaw line.

• Gum Recession; Check if your teeth look longer or if you have sensitivity to temperature at the roots of your teeth.

What Are the Benefits of Quitting Smoking for Your Oral Health?

Your body can repair itself once you remove the harmful chemicals. Quitting smoking will cause improvements to your mouth.

• Improved Blood Flow; Within a few weeks of quitting your gums will return to normal. This means blood can flow to your gums helping your immune cells fight infection.

• Stop Bone Loss; By quitting smoking you’re stopping the rapid bone loss to your jaw. This means your dentist can stabilize your natural teeth.

• Improved Surgery Success; Ex-smokers will have the same success rates as non-smokers with surgery once their tissues have recovered.

What Oral Hygiene Tips Should Smokers Follow?

If you’re currently smoking or have recently quit you should follow a strict oral hygiene routine.

• Brush Twice Daily; Brush all your teeth for 2 minutes 2 times daily using a soft bristle brush and fluoridated toothpaste.

• Inter-dental Cleaning; Clean between your teeth daily using floss, water flosser or inter-dental brushes.

• Antimicrobial Mouthwash; Use non-alcoholic antimicrobial mouthwashes.

• Drink Lots of Water; Drink lots of water to help increase saliva production.

What Are the Key Points to Remember About Smoking and Oral Health?

• Attend regular check-ups and deep cleans every 3-4 months.

• Check your tongue, cheeks and gums monthly for any unusual red/white spots.

• Brush your teeth twice daily using a soft bristle electric toothbrush and fluoridated toothpaste.

• Clean between your teeth daily using floss, inter-dental picks or water flosser.

• Drink lots of water throughout the day.

• Speak to your doctor about smoking cessation programmes, nicotine replacement therapies or prescription aids.

• Avoid using alcohol based mouthwashes as these can cause irritation to your dry tissues.

• Visit your dentist urgently if you suffer with loose teeth, facial swelling or ulcers.

What Are the Frequently Asked Questions About Smoking and Oral Health?

Can I Have My Teeth Cleaned to Remove the Stains?

Yes, you can get your teeth cleaned professionally. This includes ultrasonic scaling and polishing with prophy-paste. This will remove most of the surface stains caused by tobacco. Deep stains may require special whitening treatments by your dentist.

Is Vaping as Bad for Your Teeth and Gums?

Although there isn’t any tar in vaping liquid there is still nicotine and chemicals. The nicotine from e-cigarettes will still cause lack of blood flow to your gums. This causes your gums to recede, dry mouth and increased bacteria. We would advise avoiding all nicotine products.

How Quickly Will My Gums Improve After Quitting Smoking?

Your gums will improve very quickly once you quit smoking. Within 2-3 weeks your blood flow and micro vascular flow will return to normal. This means your immune system can send white blood cells to fight infection.

Will My Gums Grow Back After Smoking Damage?

Unfortunately your gums won’t grow back once you have periodontitis. However, quitting smoking will stop any further damage. Your dentist or periodontist can provide special gum grafting or deep periodontal cleans to stabilize your smile.

Smoking can cause severe damage to your teeth, gums and soft tissues. This can cause periodontitis, early tooth loss, problems with dental surgery and increase your chances of oral cancer. However, by taking positive steps to look after your mouth, attending your dentist regularly and quitting smoking you can stop any damage. Book a full diagnostic appointment with your dentist to protect your oral health.