The list of difficulties smoking cigarettes adds to your life was long enough-several forms of cancer, heart disease, arteriosclerosis, a host of lung diseases, immune system breakdown, early death, sinus problems, erectile dysfunction, advanced aging, taste deprivation, yellow fingers, smelliness, social pariah status, legislative crusades, and now-gum disease. It’s time for even the most stubborn smoker to say, “Okay, I get it!”
“Our study shows that people should stop smoking now if they want to increase their chances of keeping their teeth into old age,” said Dr Philip Preshaw, a specialist in gum disease who reported the findings in the Journal of Clinical Periodontology.
Smoking has been known to lessen the strength of the immune system, which is the key challenger to gum disease. By stripping the immune system of its power to fight the bacteria that causes plaque and, eventually, gum disease, the gums can become inflamed, reddened, recede, and bleed. If left unchecked, the bone that holds teeth in place can gradually erode causing the teeth to loosen, fall out, or require extraction.
“Dentists have known for some time that smokers have worse oral and gum health than non-smokers but for the first time we have shown that quitting smoking together with routine gum treatment results in healthier gums,” Preshaw said.
For one year 49 gum diseased smokers were given regular dental examinations. Among the fifth of the subjects who quit smoking, researchers noticed significant improvements in the gums compared to those who did not quit.
Further, the risk of developing gum disease increased with the number of cigarettes smoked daily.
