Thinking about quitting smoking? Quitting smoking is one of the best things you can do for your health - and of course your teeth. On November 16, thousands of people across the country will start their quit-smoking journey with the American Cancer Society’s Great American Smokeout - will you be one of them? Read on to find out what happens to your body when you quit smoking, and what other benefits you’ll also get.
No matter your age or how long you’ve been smoking or using other tobacco products, quitting improves your health immediately and over the longer term. It improves your overall health and reduces your risk of heart disease, cancer, lung disease, and other smoking and tobacco-related illnesses. The younger you are when you quit, the more you will reduce your health risks (for example, quitting before the age of 40 reduces the risk of dying from smoking-related disease by about 90%), but quitting at any age can give back years of life that would be lost by continuing to smoke. Quitting smoking can add as many as 10 more years to your life, versus if you continued to smoke.
Smoking and your Oral Health
Oral Cancer
Smoking greatly increases your risk of developing oral cancer. People who smoke are six times more likely to get oral cancer than non-smokers. As with any cancer, oral cancer can be deadly. Seeing your dentist at least twice a year can help catch and start treating oral cancer as early as possible, when treatment is often more successful.
Gum Disease
Gum disease is another serious oral health problem that often impacts smokers. Gum disease can affect anyone but smokers are 50% more likely to get it than non-smokers. It can lead to tooth loss as well as increased risk for heart disease and stroke.
Bad Breath & Discolored Teeth
Smokers’ breath is a tell-sign of a smoker. This bad breath can affect relationships and health. What’s more, the toxic ingredients in cigarettes (such as tar and nicotine) will stick to any plaque that may be on your teeth, gums, or tongue, and will actually change the color of your teeth into a dull, dingy yellow. These stains are very difficult to remove and sometimes even professional tooth whitening isn’t enough to get rid of them.
What happens when you quit smoking?
Within six hours your heart rate will slow and your blood pressure will become more stable.
Within one day your bloodstream will be almost nicotine free, the level of carbon monoxide in your blood will have dropped, and oxygen will be reaching your heart and muscles more easily.
Within one week your sense of taste and smell may have improved.
Within three months you will be coughing and wheezing less, your immune function and circulation to your hands and feet will be improving, and your lungs will be getting better at removing mucus, tar and dust.
Within six months your stress levels are likely to have dropped, and you are less likely to be coughing up phlegm.
After one year your lungs will be healthier and breathing will be easier than if you’d kept smoking.
Within two to five years your risk of heart disease will have dropped significantly (and will continue to do so over time).
Within five years, a woman’s risk of cervical cancer will be the same as if she had never smoked.
After 10 to 15 years your risk of lung cancer will be half that of someone of a similar age who keeps smoking.
After 20 years your risk of heart attack and stroke will be similar to that of someone who has never smoked.
There are many other benefits of quitting as well.
You’ll save the money you spent on tobacco. Smokers can save between $1,300 and $2,500 annually by quitting a pack-a-day habit!
Food tastes better.
Your sense of smell returns to normal.
Your breath, hair, and clothes smell better.
Your teeth and fingernails stop yellowing.
Daily activities will leave you less out of breath.
You won’t have to go outside to smoke.
Your skin may look better - quitting helps stop the damaging effects of tobacco - including premature wrinkling of your skin
As you can see, the risks of smoking are serious - and the benefits of quitting are numerous! Your local dentist, Dr. Jim Peck in New Braunfels wants to encourage all smokers to pick a quit date and work towards a smoke-free life. We know that quitting can be difficult, but there’s hope. It may take a few tries to finally kick it, but don’t give up. Quitting smoking now can save your smile - and your life.
For smoking cessation resources, visit the American Cancer Society’s Great American Smokeout page.
