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As if the oral effects of bad breath, affects the gum tissue, bone, and
stained teeth, loss of taste and smell, attachment fibers that support the teeth
mouth (canker) sores, failure of dental and hold them in place in the jaw bone.
implants, and oral cancer weren’t It occurs when plaque (a soft, sticky,
enough, tobacco use is implicated in colorless film of bacteria) forms on the
the gum recession, bone loss, and tooth teeth and at the gumline and infects the
loss associated with periodontal (gum) gum tissue, causing gingivitis (inflam-
disease. mation and reddening of the gums). If
Smokers who smoked less than a periodontal disease is not treated with
half a pack of cigarettes per day are professional prophylaxis (teeth clean-
almost three times more likely than non- ing) and, in some cases, surgery, it can
smokers to have periodontitis, according lead to moderate-to-advanced peri-
to a study by researchers at the Centers odontitis and further destruction of the
for Disease Control and Prevention in bone and gum tissue. Tooth loss may
Atlanta, Georgia. The same study found occur and teeth may have to be
that those who smoked more than a removed.
pack and a half of cigarettes per day Recent studies have shown that
had almost six times the risk. tobacco use in the form of cigarette,
Periodontal diseases, including gin- cigar, or pipe smoking,1 as well as
givitis and periodontitis, are severe smokeless tobacco use,2 are significant
infections, and if left untreated, they risk factors in the development and pro-
can lead to tooth loss. Periodontal dis- gression of periodontal disease. In turn,
ease is a chronic bacterial infection that research links periodontal disease to
444 North Michigan Avenue 10. Tomar SL, Winn DM: Chewing tobacco use and den-
Suite 3400 tal caries among U.S. men. Journal of the American
Chicago, IL 60611 Dental Association 1999;130(11):1601-1610.