Hello San Antonio cosmetic dental friends. Today’s topic is ‘The Dangers Of Smokeless Tobacco’.
Cigarette sales at most San Antonio stores have decreased in the past decade, but some San Antonio tobacco consumers have switched to smokeless products.
There is a common misconception in the San Antonio 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 William J. Stewart Jr. DDS Advanced Family & Cosmetic Dentistry, 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 San Antonio.
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 Lesions: Mouth Lesions are painful sores that could eventually become cancer. If smokeless tobacco use is stopped, the lesions often disappear within a year for San Antonio general dentistry patients.
Oral Cancer Screening in San Antonio: Smokeless tobacco use in San Antonio 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 San Antonio 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 William J. Stewart Jr. DDS Advanced Family & Cosmetic Dentistry in San Antonio, we perform restorative dentistry, oral cancer screenings and mouth lesions examinations. To schedule an appointment, call 210-493-3040.
If want to quit using smokeless tobacco products, we recommend that you consult your dentist Dr. Stewart at William J. Stewart Jr. DDS Advanced Family & Cosmetic Dentistry, your San Antonio primary care doctor, or your San Antonio pharmacist.
Dr. William J. Stewart Jr
William J. Stewart Jr. DDS Advanced Family & Cosmetic Dentistry
13220 Huebner Rd
San Antonio, Texas 78230
https://jurichdental.com/
