Smoking And The Health Of Oral Tissues
I do not think that there are too many people out there who would argue that smoking is a good and/or healthy habit. There is a wealth of research showing that smoking cigarettes in particular is deleterious to your health and contributes to many diseases and conditions. The oral (mouth) tissues are particularly affected by the irritants and carcinogens in cigarette smoke.
There have been a number of tissue factors that have been identified as being directly affected causing both direct tissue changes as well as genetic changes (J Oral Maxillofac Surg 73:2123-2131, 2015). The genetic predisposition to these problems is an area of considerable research as scientists look at individual gene expression and map the gene variations to predict disease. From a purely anecdotal standpoint, surgeons will tell you that there is a relationship between cigarette use and tissue/healing problems. Certainly anesthesia concerns relating to cigarette use is another whole subject and discussion.
If you are a smoker, please realize how destructive the habit is and seek help in trying to quit. To learn more about oral tissue damage from smoking, contact Dr. Wagner Oral Surgery & Dental Implant Specialists at (262) 634-4646 today.
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