Hello Maple Grove cosmetic dental friends. Today’s topic is ‘The Dangers Of Smokeless Tobacco’.
Cigarette sales at most Maple Grove stores have decreased in the past decade, but some tobacco consumers have switched to smokeless products.
There is a common misconception in the Maple Grove 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 Arbor Lakes Dental, 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 in Maple Grove.
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 in Maple Grove: Mouth Lesions are painful sores that could eventually become cancer. If smokeless tobacco use is stopped, the lesions often disappear within a year for Maple Grove family dentistry patients.
Oral Cancer in Maple Grove: Smokeless tobacco use in Maple Grove 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 Maple Grove 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 Arbor Lakes Dental in Maple Grove, we perform oral cancer screenings and mouth lesions examinations. To schedule an appointment, call (763)494-4443.
If want to quit using smokeless tobacco products, we recommend that you consult Dr. Bach at Arbor Lakes Dental, your Maple Grove primary care doctor, or your Maple Grove pharmacist.
Arbor Lakes Dental
12000 Elm Creek Blvd, Ste 230
Maple Grove, Minnesota 55369
https://www.arborlakesdental.com/
