Smoking affects more than just your lungs…

Smoking Affects Your Whole Body

You often hear about the negative

effects smoking has on your lungs and

on other important parts of your body.

You don’t often hear about the effects

smoking has on your teeth and mouth.

These effects, listed in the following six

slides, are just as harmful and painful as

lung cancer and other serious problems:

1. Inflammation

Inflammation of the lining in your mouth

and salivary gland openings on the roof

of your mouth are a direct result of

smoking. They also lead to severe

mouth sensitivity.

2. Leukoplakia

Leukoplakia are white patches or lesions

that often form inside the mouths of

people who smoke.

3. Tooth decay

Smoking increases the amount of

plaque and tartar that builds up on teeth.

Increased amounts of plaque and tartar

lead to tooth decay which damages both

the teeth and gums.

4. Gum disease

Smoking interferes with the normal

function of gum tissue cells. This causes

gum line recession, bone detachment,

and gum infections.

5. Oral cancer

Oral cancer is very painful and can lead

to premature death. That’s why it’s

important to visit your dentist frequently

so he can spot symptoms early on.

6. Tooth discoloration

If you don’t want your teeth to get gray

and discolored, don’t smoke. Smoking

definitely makes your teeth less

attractive to look at.

You CAN Quit

If you do smoke but truly want to break the habit, know that it is possible to quit. There are people and products that can help you stop.

Make sure you visit your dentist to see if your smoking habit has started to affect your mouth and teeth. He will be able to reduce some of the negative effects once you stop.

See Your Dentist Regularly

If you need to set up an appointment

with an experienced dentist, contact the

receptionists at McBride Family Dental.

You can reach them by calling (303)

466-2221 or by visiting them online at

mcbridefamilydental.com.

You can also visit their blog for more

information on their services and for

answers to FAQs.