Tobacco usage does more than stain your teeth and taint your breath.
The negative effects of tobacco usage are well-documented - a wide variety of life-threatening diseases are associated with cigarettes, 
cigars, snuff and other tobacco-based products. The gum tissue and teeth are also subject to the problems these chemicals cause. Your Naperville, Illinois dentists, Dr. Rani Seeth and Dr. Sarah Jankowski, want to provide their patients at Dental Pointe with as much information as they can about how tobacco products diminish dental health.
Gum disease and tooth loss
Using tobacco products puts you at risk for a multitude of health conditions, including oral abnormalities. Fifty percent of adults who smoke are thought to have some degree of periodontitis, a chronic gum disease that weakens the gum tissue and can cause teeth to loosen. Tobacco also weakens the body's immune response, so treating gum disease with conventional cleaning methods may not be enough for smokers. The correlation between the tooth loss associated with periodontitis and the fact that smokers are twice as likely to have missing teeth than non-smokers should be fairly obvious.
No such thing as a safe alternative
While cigarettes are the most well-known and highly used tobacco product, other tobacco products like snuff or "dip" are indicated in the formation of mouth cancer. In fact, those who use "smokeless" products have a risk of oral cancer that is 50 times greater than people who have never used them. At the very least, the abrasiveness of these items also wears away the protective enamel on the surface of the teeth. Your Naperville dentist sees patients who have permanent discoloration and sensitivity as a result of using these products.
Benefits to quitting
Have you recently quit smoking or chewing tobacco? Your Naperville dentists, Dr. Seeth and Dr. Jankowski, offer their sincere congratulations! Your body begins its healing process not long after you make the decision to put down the tobacco. If you've noticed that you've still got evidence of your tobacco use from the stains on your teeth, they can often be eradicated in just one in-office whitening treatment at Dental Pointe in Naperville. Call your Naperville dentists today to have your oral health evaluated!