Dentist: Smoking destroys not only enamel - gums and bone tissue suffer

Dentist-orthopedist, deputy chief doctor for clinical work of the state institution "Republican Clinical Dental Center - University Clinic", Candidate of Medical Sciences Inessa Baradina in the talk show "PRO HEALTH" on the YouTube channel "SEE AND LIVE" told about the impact of bad habits on the condition of teeth and enamel, writes sb.by.

Smoking

- Smoking leads to vascular spasm, which disrupts the nutrition of the tooth. The tooth receives nutrition through the periodontal slit - dento-gingival attachment and turgor of the gum papillae are important here. Thus, because of smoking, microcirculation in the tissues of the tooth is most often disturbed. It also matters how many people smoke and what they smoke. The quantity and quality of tobacco can affect the color of the tooth, as plaque occurs. If bad hygiene is added to this, then bone tissue begins to decline and both caries and noncaryous lesions develop. In smokers, the gums can also be pigmented due to harmful substances in the smoke: it begins to turn dark. Also, the gums can be covered with spots. There is even the term “smoker’s mouth” – a condition when both gums and teeth are stained at the same time.

- The most aggressive effect on teeth among alcohol has wine - even expensive. If you keep it in your mouth for a long time, it literally corrodes the enamel. But the pH of vodka on a special scale approaches the mark of seven, that is, to a neutral medium. It would seem that this makes it less dangerous for the teeth, but no: neutral pH does not negate the harmful effects of alcohol on the body as a whole. Therefore, it is impossible to say that one is better and the other is worse: any alcohol is harmful to health.

Watch the PRO HEALTH project on the Watch and Live YouTube channel every Sunday at 12:00. Specialists in various fields will answer popular questions of concern to everyone in simple language and with humor.