Hello Missoula general dentistry friends. Today’s topic is ‘The Dangers Of Smokeless Tobacco’.
Cigarette sales at most Missoula stores have decreased in the past decade, but some Missoula tobacco consumers have switched to smokeless products.
There is a common misconception in the Missoula 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 Felton Dental Care, 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.
Keeping a pinch between your cheek and gum all day is worse than keeping an all-day sucker. The tobacco contains almost as much sugar as the candy but delivers harmful 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: Mouth Lesions are painful sores that could eventually become cancer. If smokeless tobacco use is stopped, the lesions often disappear within a year for Missoula dental patients.
Oral Cancer in Missoula: Smokeless tobacco use 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 Missoula 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. I should also mention two other biggies: addiction and heart disease, though those are topics for another day.
At Felton Dental Care in Missoula, we perform general dentistry exams as well as mouth lesion examinations and cosmetic dentistry. To schedule an appointment, call (406) 728-0896.
If want to quit using smokeless tobacco products, we recommend that you consult Dr. Felton at Felton Dental Care, your Missoula primary care doctor, or your pharmacist.
Felton Dental Care
1750 Brooks St
Missoula, Montana 59801
https://www.themissouladentist.com/
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