You may or may not have heard that tobacco products can be really bad for your teeth. But that’s natural teeth, right? Will smoking and other tobacco-related activities still create problems for false teeth?
Tobacco may not affect dentures or dental implants directly, however, it can be detrimental for your oral health. Keep reading to learn why it’s in your best interest to reduce or quit smoking before getting a dental restoration.
Accelerates Bone Loss
When you go for a long period of time with missing teeth, your jawbone isn’t able to get the stimulation it needs to grow and maintain itself. It starts to miss out on essential nutrients, and eventually begins to shrink.
Dentures can slow down this process and dental implants can prevent it altogether, but smoking can counteract these benefits or even speed up your jawbone’s rate of deterioration. If the bone becomes too thin, you might not be able to support either dentures or dental implants.
Contributes to Unpleasant Odors
If you smoke indoors or have been inside the home of someone who does, you’re probably familiar with how easy it is for smoke odors to take over a space. The same goes for false teeth, especially porous dentures! Even if you clean them regularly, you could very well be stuck with the scent of cigarette smoke wafting from your mouth whenever you speak.
Endangers Your Gums
The association between gum disease and smoking is incredibly high. Chemicals in nicotine especially cause increased inflammation, reduced blood flow, higher bacteria growth, and immune system weakness – all ripe conditions for developing gum disease.
In advanced stages, gum disease can cause your gumline to recede, leaving both natural teeth and false teeth with not enough support. That lack will eventually cause them to fall out entirely!
Causes Oral Discomfort
Finally, smoking can make your mouth just plain uncomfortable, particularly for those who wear dentures. The chemicals irritate soft oral issues, so even if your dentures fit like a glove, you’ll likely experience swelling and sensitivity.
Smoking is not a fun or easy habit to kick. However, it’s in your best interest to do so before getting a dental replacement. Otherwise, you could end up with failed dentures or dental implants, or at the very least, feel very uncomfortable. If you smoke, let your dentist know. They’ll take this into account – judgement free – and design your treatment plan accordingly. Plus, it might help to know that your dentist is there to support you!
About the Author
Dr. Bryan Villescas earned his dental degree from the University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine and went on to complete several advanced courses for dental restoration treatments like dentures and dental implants. He’s a highly experienced and passionate dentist, so if you have any questions about how smoking affects tooth replacements, Dr. Villescas will have answers! To contact his office, call 941-627-9900.