Jock MacKenzie 49, has been smoking
cigarettes since he was in college. “It seemed harmless enough at the time,” he
says. “I’d go out with some of my mates on the weekends, and we’d have a few
beers and smoke a few cigarettes. Or, I’d be up late studying for an exam, and a
couple of cigarettes would keep me alert enough to get through the
material.”
But the years after college changed an
occasional occurrence into a daily habit. “I never thought it would become a
habit,” said Jock but here I am, more than 25 years later, smoking half a pack a
day, and I just can’t seem to quit.”
Warning signs of gum
disease:
At Jock's most recent dentist visit, his
dentist noticed that his gums seemed redder and more inflamed than during his
last visit and were starting to recede from his teeth.
“I was shocked when my dentist told me
that I had gingivitis, or the early stage of gum disease. He said that because
smoking may suppress the immune system and leave gums prone to infection, my
smoking was most likely the cause of the problem. He also said that smokers were
more than 50 percent more likely to develop gum disease than non-smokers. Can
you believe that?”
Jock's dentist told him that in addition
to red, tender, swollen gums, the receding gums and the occasional bleeding
while brushing and flossing were also signs of the beginnings of gum
disease.
Smoking affects your oral
health, too.
While Jock , like many people, was aware
of the negative impact that smoking cigarettes could have on his overall health,
he says he only became aware of the effects that cigarette smoking could have on
his oral health after his visit to the dentist.
In addition to an increased risk for gum
disease, smoking can increase your risk for many other oral health problems,
including:- Mouth pain and cavities
- Tooth loss (twice that of non-smokers)
- Infected tooth root (twice that of non-smokers)
- Reduced ability to fight infection, including in the mouth and gums
- Slower healing of gum tissue after oral surgery or from injury
- Reduced effectiveness of gum disease treatments
The good news is that the risk of gum
disease, tooth loss and many other oral health problems decreases after you quit
smoking. After learning that he was developing gum disease, Jock told his
dentist he wanted to quit smoking. He was prescribed a transdermal nicotine
patch (worn for 24 hours over several weeks with a dissipating flow of nicotine)
to help him kick the habit.
There are a variety of nicotine
replacement therapies (NRT) available to help people quit smoking, including
nicotine gums, lozenges, sprays and inhalers. People who wish to quit smoking
may also be helped by counselling and support programs from your doctor and
dentist.You can do it!
Giving up smoking isn’t easy, but many
people have succeeded in quitting. Soon after you stop smoking, you may notice
that food tastes better, your sense of smell is more acute and you can more
easily be active without getting winded. And you’ll have the satisfaction of
knowing that you’re keeping your mouth — and your entire body — healthy.
Ruth
