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Oral Health and Tobacco Use
(It's not just about bad breath and yellow teeth.)
- Each year in the United States, mouth or throat cancer will kill an
average of 8,000 people. This is one person per hour,
24 hours a day.
- Tobacco use causes tooth loss and gum disease. In 2006, nearly
twice as many adult smokers in NH reported tooth loss due to decay
or gum disease compared to tooth loss reported by nonsmokers.
- All forms of tobacco contain nicotine. Nicotine is highly addictive.
Quitting nicotine addiction is very difficult. People average seven to
ten attempts before they are successful.
- Cigars and chew tobacco are not safer than cigarettes.
All tobacco products contain toxins that cause cancer.
- Cancer from chewing tobacco doesn't just occur in the mouth. Some
of the cancer-causing agents in the tobacco can get into the lining of
the stomach, the esophagus, and into the bladder.
- Chew and dip are left in contact with gums, cheeks and/or lips
for prolonged periods of time. This can cause leukoplakia.
Leukoplakia appears either as a smooth, white patch
or as leathery-looking wrinkled skin. It results in cancer in three to
five percent of all cases.
- About 70% of spit tobacco users report having mouth sores.
- Using chew can also cause: cracking and bleeding lips and gums,
receding gums and bone loss in the jaw, (which can eventually make
teeth fall out), increased heart rate, high blood pressure, and
irregular heartbeats, all leading to a greater risk of heart attacks and
brain damage (from stroke).
- Chewing tobacco decreases a person's sense of taste and ability to
smell. As a result, users tend to eat more salty and sweet foods
which can lead to more cavities.
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