Dentist in Accra Helps Protect Your Dental Health from Tobacco

You know that tobacco use has damaging consequences on your overall health, significantly increasing your risk for several cancers. Currently, more than 1 billion people around the world smoke tobacco. However, while many are aware of the risks to their health, many do not know about the impact tobacco has on dental health. As a dentist in Accra, Bethel Dental wants to see our patients remain as healthy as possible, which is why we can help you combat the devastation tobacco use can cause.

Tobacco and Your Oral Health

Often, many tend to believe that tobacco use only leads to bad breath, but this is not the only thing you need to be concerned about. Smoking and tobacco of any kind decreases your body’s ability to heal and fight infections. As a result, you are more likely to develop periodontal disease and have a harder time recovering after a tooth extraction or oral surgery. You also have a significantly higher risk of developing tooth decay. Over time, it is not uncommon to develop a dulled sense of taste or smell. The appearance of your smile will suffer as the teeth and tongue will become stained.

Although these complications are quite severe, there is an even bigger threat to your health if you use tobacco—oral cancer. Oral cancer is the 11^th most common cancer in the world. Unfortunately, the long-term survival rate is very low compared to other cancers. Too often, the cancer is not found until it has spread to other areas of the body or reached the advanced stages. As a result, the 5-year survival rate is only 57%.

Although anyone can be diagnosed with oral cancer, tobacco users have a significantly higher risk. In fact, roughly 90% of those with the cancer are tobacco users. Over 2% of cancer-related deaths each year are due to oral cancer. You need to be proactive to reduce your risk for the cancer.

Protecting Your Oral Health

The best thing you can do for your oral and overall health is to stop smoking; however, we understand it is not easy. We understand the challenge you face, which is why we offer tobacco cessation counseling. You need support and a team member by your side to stop the addiction. We will help you quit tobacco by offering the support and education you need.

While you work to break your bad habit, we will also provide the dental care you need to reverse the damage from tobacco. We will provide the preventive care needed to stop future damage while repairing any complications that may have already occurred, such as gum disease. After you have stopped tobacco use and restored your oral health, we will help you achieve a confident new smile by reversing the cosmetic damages tobacco has caused on your teeth.

Get a Healthier Smile Today

If you are ready to break the habit of smoking to protect your oral and overall health, we look forward to helping you achieve your goal. Contact Bethel Dental to schedule a consultation