If you’re a smoker and wear dentures, you may believe that now that you’ve replaced those missing teeth, you’re in the clear to keep smoking. Unfortunately, however, this is simply not true. Just because you wear dentures doesn’t mean you have the green light to keep lighting up. In fact, smoking or consuming tobacco products is just as dangerous for denture wearers as it is for those with their natural teeth. Here’s why even if you’ve got dentures, it’s time to quit tobacco once and for all.
Reason #1: Smoking Increases Bone Loss
When you’re missing teeth, your jawbone can deteriorate with time because your body believes you no longer need it. This is false, of course, because you still do need your jaw to speak and chew, regardless of if you have real or prosthetic teeth. Furthermore, if you do decide to get dental implants jawbone degradation can be a major roadblock. In some cases, you may need a bone graft procedure before you’re ready to receive implants, and in other cases that deterioration may be beyond repair to the point where you simply cannot receive dental implants at all.
When you smoke, you increase bone loss in your jaw, making any degradation occur faster than it would if you didn’t. Quitting smoking can help your jaw stay stronger, longer.
Reason #2: It Can Damage Your Dentures
Dentures are quite durable, but it’s still possible to damage them. They can crack if dropped, get warped if dried out, and stained if not properly cleaned. When you smoke, you increase the risk of your dentures drying out while you’re wearing them. You can also permanently stain them, and of course they can absorb odor so no matter how much you clean them they could still smell like cigarettes, giving you a permanent bout of bad breath.
Reason #3: It Can Cause Gum Recession
Smoking causes your body to naturally react to protect itself. It will cause your gums to harden much like a callus on your feet might form to protect you when walking barefoot. This hardening can make your gums shrink, and when they change, so too does the fit of your dentures. Of course you want your dentures to fit snugly and securely so that they don’t slide around while you speak or chew, and an improper fit can increase your risk of developing painful denture sores.
Reason #4: It Causes Oral Cancer
Oral cancer caused by smoking is a risk no matter if you wear dentures or not. In fact, an estimated 13,000 deaths from laryngeal and oral cancer will occur in the United States this year, some of which could have been prevented by not smoking.
Furthermore, there is an increased risk of oral cancer if you have improperly fitted dentures that cause frequent sores and ulcers on the gums.
Remember, smoking is dangerous no matter what. If you smoke and wear dentures, take this as your sign that it’s time to quit. Living tobacco-free will improve your overall health as well as your oral health, and it will help keep your dentures looking and fitting great for years to come.
About Dr. Saati
Dr. Spiro Saati is a skilled dentist with an extensive education in multiple facets in restorative dentistry. He is a member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, American Dental Association, the Massachusetts Dental Society, the American Academy of Periodontology, the Northeast Society of Periodontology, the Pierre Fauchard Academy, and the Academy of Osseointegration.
In addition to his numerous professional memberships, Dr. Saati has served on the board of such prestigious organizations as the Northshore District Dental Society, and the Alpha Omega International Dental Fraternity Alumni and Student Chapters. He is also a clinical instructor at Harvard Dental School.
To schedule an appointment for dentures with Dr. Saati, please visit our website or call 978-531-2185.