Everyone loves a bright and healthy smile. However, tobacco can keep you from shining your brightest by affecting how you look, damaging your gums and even causing oral cancers.

Cosmetic Effects

• Bad Breath: The smell cigarettes leave behind lingers in your mouth and throat. Brushing your teeth, using mouthwash or chewing gum can help lessen the smell, but only quitting tobacco can make it go away permanently.
• Stained Teeth: Materials in tobacco products like cigarettes and smokeless tobacco get inside the tiny cracks in your teeth, causing your teeth to turn yellow over time.
• Tooth Decay: Smoking reduces the amount of oxygen your teeth and gums get, which can cause holes to form between your teeth and near the gumline.

Gum Disease

• Tobacco makes it harder for your body to fight off infections. This is why people who smoke have nearly twice the risk of gum disease as people who don’t smoke.
• Gum disease can change the color of your gums or cause the gums to pull back from your teeth.
• Gum disease can cause your teeth to fall out.

Oral Cancer

• People who smoke cigarettes have about 10 times more risk of getting oral cancer than people who don’t smoke.
• People who smoke cigars and pipes have an increased risk for cancer in the oral cavity, esophagus and voice box.
• Smokeless tobacco, including chew and snuff, can cause cancer in the cheek, gums and lips.

Protecting Your Smile

Quitting tobacco can help you keep your smile bright and healthy. There are a lot of resources available to help you live a tobacco-free life. If you’re looking to quit smoking, you can start by speaking with your healthcare provider or by checking out the tools and resources here.