Cigarette sales have decreased in the past decade, and at Stephen Ratcliff Family and Cosmetic Dentistry in Arlington, we won’t kid you: we’re happy about that. But some people have switched to smokeless products, on the assumption that smokeless tobacco is harmless.
This is absolutely not true. No matter its form, tobacco is deadly.
We encounter the 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.
Keeping a pinch between your cheek and gum all day is a bad idea, period. Tobacco erodes the teeth and also causes the gums to pull away from teeth.
Smokeless tobacco 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.
These are the main dental risks of smokeless tobacco. In addition, there are two other biggies: addiction and heart disease, though those are topics for another day.
At Stephen Ratcliff Family and Cosmetic Dentistry in Arlington, we perform oral cancer screenings at each checkup. Patients from Mansfield and Grand Prairie also come to us for cosmetic smile design. Schedule an appointment with us today!
Contact Stephen Ratcliff Family & Cosmetic Dentistry:
817-274-7875
Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):
909 W Mitchell St
Arlington, Texas
76013
