Dental Currents March 2011

So what does smoking really do?

Many people would think that, dentally speaking, staining your teeth is the most significant negative factor for smokers. This is far from true, but here is how it works.
The first thing we must understand is how toxic the 4,000 chemicals are in cigarette smoke. Carbon monoxide (found in your car’s exhaust), ammonia (found in window cleaners), cadmium (found in batteries) and arsenic (found in rat poison) are only a few of the 40 most toxic. These chemicals produce a storm of free radicals in our body (See Dental Currents – Health Equation for an explanation of free radicals) which speeds up the oxidation process. Remember, oxidation is what happens when fruit rots. Yes, our body’s process of decay or rot speeds up with these irritating little molecules. This happens all over our body, such as your lungs (cancer), blood vessels (cardiovascular disease), periodontal disease and tooth decay, menstrual problems for women and erectile dysfunction for men.
Healthy gums have a rich blood supply to nourish and heal them. Cigarette smoke shrinks the blood vessels and reduces the healing potential for smokers, which is why they have more risk of periodontal disease. A healthy tooth has a fluid flow through it like sweating. It virtually cleanses itself from the inside out, which is why healthy teeth appear whiter and glisten. Free radicals from smoking reverse this flow so the tooth now sucks in all the acids to cause decay and stains to discolour your teeth.
It doesn’t stop there. Your family and friends are affected too. Out of the twelve or so minutes the cigarette is lit, only about 30 seconds are spent inhaling. Second hand smoke gives everyone a 12 minute plus blast of the toxic chemicals. Unfortunately, the most affected are children who are more likely to suffer from increased dental decay, coughing, asthma, bronchitis and pneumonia.
Now, the good news. There is lots of help available for you or your friends and family members to quit smoking. All it takes is one phone call to the Canadian Cancer Society at 1-888-939-3333 or go to www.cancer.ca to enlist their help. I think you will find them very understanding, most helpful and not preachy.
Now, what do you think you’ll do with the money you save on cigarettes??

Yours for better dental health,

Dr. Ken Southward

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