If you are someone who has smoked for only a short while, you may think that you still have time to quit before any serious side effects occur. If you have smoked for what feels like a long time, you may feel it’s been so long that it is not worth quitting. The truth is, it is always worth reconsidering your decision to use tobacco products. They can have a significantly negative impact on your oral health and may even make receiving necessary oral surgery a very complicated task. Find out more!
#1: It Makes Surgery Complicated
Smoking makes oral surgery a lot less predictable. Not on our side of things, of course. No, smoking means that your body will not be in its optimal state of health and preparedness for recovery. As a result, placing an implant becomes tricky and recovering from surgery becomes more challenging. Smokers are more susceptible to infection and their tissues are less capable of repairing quickly.
#2: It Promotes Oral Cancer
While oral surgery and other modes of care are available for oral cancer, it is certainly not something that any person wishes to develop. For this single reason, we strongly encourage patients to avoid tobacco products, as they greatly increase one’s risk of many types of cancer.
#3: It Encourages Periodontal Disease
As mentioned, when you smoke, it becomes difficult for your oral tissues (and other tissues, of course) to heal and it also causes your ability to fight infection to decrease. As a result, you become more prone to periodontal disease because bacteria have an easier time infecting those tissues and your body has a harder time addressing the infection and healing.
Learn More About Quitting Smoking Today
If you are in need of assistance with smoking cessation or oral health problems related to smoking, we encourage you to schedule a visit ASAP! To schedule an appointment or consultation with Dr. Hofkes, contact us today by calling 562-584-4082. We proudly welcome patients of all ages from Cerritos, CA, and all surrounding communities, such as Lakewood, Long Beach, Buena Park, and more.
