Hello Chesterfield dental friends. Today’s topic is ‘The Dangers Of Smokeless Tobacco’.
Cigarette sales at most Chesterfield stores have decreased in the past decade, but some Chesterfield tobacco consumers have switched to smokeless products.
There is a common misconception in the St. Louis area (especially among teens) that smokeless tobacco is harmless. This is absolutely not true. Regardless of the specific type: spit tobacco, snuff, chew, or pinch, this form of tobacco is as deadly as conventional cigarettes.
At Town and Country Cosmetic Dentistry and Implant Center, we encounter serious consequences of smokeless tobacco use because many occur in the mouth. Oral cancer, mouth lesions, gum disease and tooth decay are the most common dental problems caused by smokeless tobacco in Missouri.
Keeping a pinch between your cheek and gum all day is worse than keeping an all-day sucker tucked in there. The tobacco contains almost as much sugar as the candy but delivers dangerous chemicals as an added bonus. The dangers are two-fold: the tobacco erodes the teeth and also causes the gums to pull away from teeth.
Precancerous Mouth Lesion Screening in Missouri: Mouth lesions are painful sores that could eventually become cancer. If smokeless tobacco use is stopped, the lesions frequently disappear within a year for Missouri dental patients.
Oral Cancer in Chesterfield: Smokeless tobacco use in St. Louis increases the risk for several types of life-threatening cancers including those of the mouth, gums, lips, tongue, and throat.
Oral cancers can be as deadly as lung cancer and usually require surgery. If the Missouri patient is fortunate and the cancer is successfully removed with surgery, the collateral damage to the face, neck, or jaw is not pretty.
These are the main dental risks of smokeless tobacco. In addition, I should also mention two other biggies: addiction and heart disease, though those are topics for another day.
At Town and Country Cosmetic Dentistry and Implant Center in Chesterfield, we perform oral cancer screenings and mouth lesions examinations. To receive more details, or schedule an appointment, call 314-576-0088.
If want to quit using smokeless tobacco products, we recommend that you communicate withDr. Buchheit at Town and Country Cosmetic Dentistry and Implant Center, your Chesterfield primary care doctor, or your Chesterfield pharmacist.
Town and Country Cosmetic Dentistry and Implant Center https://www.townandcountrycosmeticimplantdentistry.com/blog/
14377 Woodlake Dr Ste 205
Chesterfield, Missouri 63017
Oral cancer screenings