Smoking and Your Teeth: Are the pictures real?!

Image of a cigarette in sharp focus, with half the person’s face blurry in the background

The pictures of people’s teeth on cigarette packets can be pretty gruesome, but after a while they become easy to ignore. We’re here to talk about what those pictures have to do with you, and why you might not want to ignore them after all.

The Facts

So you want to know the facts? You have come to the right place. In 2003 a large-scale study was performed in Canada, showing that smokers “[had] a higher than average risk of periodontal disease and poor oral health status” (1). As specialists in treating periodontal disease, we know more than anyone how significant this is. 

Smoking results in more dental plaque, faster progression of gum disease, and more difficulty healing from gum problems (2). All this to say that smoking increases your chances of losing teeth, and in more severe cases can result in oral cancers. Those are the facts. 

The Fears

Interestingly, the Canadian study also showed that smokers were significantly less likely to have seen a dentist in the last three years (1). Another study conducted on university students found that smokers reported higher numbers of self-perceived oral health problems (3).

Thousands of people avoid dental care because they feel embarrassed or ashamed of their teeth. We can’t stress this enough - we want to help you. If you have had bad experiences with dentists shaming you for your teeth, then it is even more important to find a practitioner who is both sympathetic, and determined to help you. 

Yes, your dentist will probably advise you to stop smoking. That does not mean that they will not treat you if you continue to smoke. As health professionals it is their job to give you the best course of action for your health - but ultimately it is your decision, and you deserve treatment regardless of what you decide.

The Frustration

Believe it or not, we understand how frustrating it can be to try to give up smoking. About one in five adults in New Zealand smoke (2), which is no small number. Many of our patients have struggled with quitting, but we are here to help.

If you are a patient and you’re serious about quitting smoking, give us a call so we can talk about some of the resources available for you at Noble Dental. If you smoke and you’re noticing severe problems with your gums, then maybe it is time to book a consultation. 

Thanks for reading,

The Team at Noble Dental

  1. Smoking and Oral Health Status, Miller, Wayne J.; Locker, David

  2. Smoking and Oral Health, NZ Ministry of Health

  3. Oral Hygiene Behavior, smoking, and perceived oral health problems among university students, Hussain Shah, Altaf; ElHaddad, Sally A.

Katie L.