When you smoke, you’re setting yourself up for problems with your health. That includes your teeth and gums—tobacco has been linked to greater susceptibility to both tooth decay and periodontal (gum) disease.

Smoking in particular can have a number of adverse effects on your mouth. Smoke can burn and form a thickened layer of the mouth’s inner membranes called a keratosis. This in turn can damage the salivary glands enough to decrease saliva production, making for a drier mouth more hospitable to harmful bacteria.

Nicotine, the active chemical ingredient in tobacco, can cause the mouth’s blood vessels to constrict. This causes less blood flow, thus a slower flow of nutrients and antigens to teeth and gums to ward off infection. Taken together, smokers are more likely than non-smokers to suffer from dental disease.

The impact doesn’t end there. The conditions in the mouth created by smoking make it more difficult for the person to successfully obtain dental implants, one of the more popular tooth replacement methods.

Implants generally enjoy a high success rate due to their most unique feature, a titanium metal post that’s imbedded into the jawbone. During the weeks after surgery, bone cells grow and accumulate on the implant’s titanium surface to create a lasting hold.

But the previously mentioned effects of smoking can interfere with the integration between implant and bone. Because of restricted blood flow, the tissues around the implant are slower to heal. And the greater risk for dental disease, particularly gum infections, could cause an implant to eventually fail.

Of the rare number of implants that fail, twice as many occur in smokers. By removing smoking as a factor, you stand a much better chance for implant success. If you’re considering implants and you smoke, you’ll fare much better if you quit smoking altogether.

If you can’t, at least stop smoking a week before implant surgery and for a couple of weeks after to increase your mouth’s healing factor. Be sure you also keep up daily brushing and flossing and regular dental visits.

Smoking can increase the disease factor for your teeth and gums. Quitting the habit can make it easier to restore your oral health.

If you would like more information on the impact of smoking to oral health, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Dental Implants & Smoking.”