Oral health

Tobacco is used in many different ways. Mostly it is smoked, but many people use smokeless tobacco, which includes snuff (finely ground or cut tobacco leaves, which can be dry or moist, loose or packaged in sachets). The risks to oral health are high with both smoked and smokeless tobacco. The effects of tobacco on oral disease include an increased risk of various oral cancers, oral mucosal disease, periodontal disease and tooth loss.

However, oral health improves significantly after quitting.

Sources

Warnakulasuriya, S., Dietrich, T., Bornstein, M. M., Peidró, E. C., Preshaw, P. M., Walter, C., & Bergström, J. (2010). Oral health risks of tobacco use and effects of cessation. International dental journal, 60(1), 7-30.

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Fact sheet: Smoking and oral health

Fact sheet: A healthy mouth for life - information for patients