Dentist: “A beautiful smile or cigarettes”

Every year on 9 February, the International Dentist’s Day is celebrated. Dental and oral health is often discussed, but according to experts, most patients do not follow recommendations which often leads to frequent appointments with the dentist. According to doctors, one of the biggest enemies of a healthy and beautiful smile is smoking which remains one of the main reasons for deteriorating oral hygiene.

Damage is irreversible

According to Sandra Skuodaitė, a dentist and endodontist at the Prosthetic and Implantology Clinic in Vilnius, smoking is a major contributor to the build-up of tartar. According to her, frequent smoking results in stomatitis, bleeding gums, gum recession and acute necrotising gingivitis. Smoking also accelerates the development of oral candidiasis and increases the likelihood of oral cancer.

“Smoking also damages periodontal tissue. It slows down the response to infection and delays the healing of wounds in the oral cavity,” says the doctor. According to her, pipe smokers have noticeable localised tooth wear and exposed dentine that is heavily stained by tobacco pigments.

Tar is the greatest enemy of white teeth

According to the doctor, cigarette smoke contains a significant amount of tar, only about 30 percent of which is removed when exhaled. The rest settles in the throat and lungs as well as on the surface of the teeth and gums, causing the teeth to turn yellow and sometimes even brown.

Therefore, those who do not have plans to quit smoking should pay even greater attention to dental care: see your dentist or dental hygienist more often to have your teeth, gums and periodontium examined. “Sometimes it is worth using whitening toothpastes or special toothpastes that reduce the accumulation of tobacco pigment, and in order to reduce the accumulation of dark pigment deposits on the surface of the teeth, you should brush your teeth after every cigarette,” says Sandra Skuodaitė.

It is believed that tooth discolouration is much less common when using alternative, smokeless products that do not contain tar. However, according to doctors, there are not yet sufficient research results on the effects of these new products on smokers’ teeth.

Proper dental care

According to the doctor, it is very important to take proper care of your teeth: brush them with a soft toothbrush and toothpaste for two minutes in the morning and evening, clean between your teeth with dental floss and interdental brushes, clean your tongue with a special scraper and use mouthwash when necessary.

“Regular appointments with a dentist or dental hygienist enable you to monitor the condition of your teeth and detect the early stages of tooth damage caused by tooth decay,” says Sandra Skuodaitė. It is recommended to have professional teeth cleaning every six months. A proper, well-balanced diet is extremely important for improving the condition of your teeth and ensuring oral health.

Not only smoking is harmful

According to the doctor, cigarettes are not the only factor affecting dental and oral health. She says that poor personal oral hygiene, consumption of sticky, very hard or acidic foods, sugar, carbonated drinks with sweeteners as well as misuse of teeth, such as harmful habits of biting hard objects, etc., play a major role.

Alcohol also has a negative effect on teeth, as the acids and sugars it contains damage tooth enamel, while the pigments in red wine change the colour of teeth. According to the doctor, you should also avoid snacking at night: “Snacking increases the risk of tooth decay due to reduced saliva production at night and food remaining in the mouth,” says the doctor.

To maintain healthy teeth, it is recommended to have your mouth examined by a dentist once or twice a year. The most common dental care mistakes are using highly abrasive or whitening toothpastes too often (experts recommend using them only once or twice a week), using a toothbrush that is too hard (it is advisable to choose the softest possible) or careless use of electric toothbrushes. According to the doctor, teeth whitening at home with whitening strips or trays should also not be overused.