If I Quit Smoking Will My Teeth Get Better?
Posted on April 5th, 2023 | Dr. Kerry Lowery
Can You Reverse the Effects of Smoking on Oral Health?
As of 2020, it was estimated that over 30 million people in the U.S. smoke cigarettes. Despite the innumerable studies and statistics that indicate smoking is harmful to your health and lowers life expectancy, many individuals struggle to kick the habit. Fortunately, for those who are able to quit, studies also show that over time the human body can heal and reverse significant amounts of damage caused by cigarette smoke.
Oral health is greatly impacted by smoking. Smokers are at higher risk for gum disease, tooth decay, chronic bad breath, tooth loss, oral cancer, jaw bone loss, and other dental problems. However, the risks for developing these types of issues lowers once a person quits. For patients who have already encountered dental issues related to smoking, quitting still allows your body to heal and repair the damage.
Positive Changes in the Mouth After Quitting Smoking
You may be wondering, to what degree can the oral cavity repair itself after someone quits smoking? Do gums heal after quitting smoking? Does tooth staining go away? The fact is, once someone puts down the cigarettes for good, there are many ways your oral health can improve after your body begins to heal.
Some benefits of quitting smoking include the following:
- A reduction in the risk of periodontal disease
- A reduction in the risk of oral cancer
- A reduction in the risk of tooth loss
- Slowed progression of existing gum disease
- Elimination of bad breath
- Elimination of dry mouth
- Whiter teeth
- Improved response to treatments for gum disease and oral cancer
- Faster healing after dental treatments
- Improved sense of taste and smell
- Improved dental hygiene
Knowing that your oral health can rebound even after smoking for years can help encourage smokers to quit, or even just reduce how often they have a cigarette.
If I Stop Smoking Will My Gums Repair Themselves?
After a person quits smoking they are less likely to suffer from severe dental disease and their oral health will improve thanks to the body’s natural healing abilities. This means that once you eliminate cigarettes from your daily routine, damage done to gum tissue will heal, bad breath caused from smoke will go away, and you should no longer suffer from dry mouth.
What About Stained Teeth from Smoking?
Stained teeth cannot naturally “heal” like damaged gum tissue. However, the good news is that teeth can usually be restored to their pearly finish with a thorough dental cleaning or dental bleaching agents.
To quickly remove smoking stains on teeth, visit us at Beyond Smiles for a professional teeth whitening in Park Ridge, IL. Other bleaching treatments you can perform at home may also help remove tobacco stains.
Contact Us at Beyond Smiles of Park Ridge
You can significantly improve your oral health by quitting smoking. If you’re trying to quit, or are already on the way to living a smoke-free life and want to know how to best take care of your teeth and gums going forward, contact us at Beyond Smiles of Park Ridge and schedule an appointment with our Park Ridge dentists.
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