The look and health of your smile is important, so you may visit your dentist periodically for cleanings and routine exams. However, certain habits will prevent you and your dentist from ensuring you have an attractive and strong set of teeth. About 3 percent of Americans use smokeless tobacco, so if you are part of this group, you should understand how dipping affects your oral health. Using this guide, you will understand how chewing tobacco harms your oral health.

Dangers of Dipping

Smoking regular cigarettes can stain your teeth and cause you to have bad breath. These effects are due to the nicotine found in traditional cigarettes. Not only will smoking affect your mouth, teeth, and gums, but it can also decrease your ability to breathe properly while increasing your risk of dangerous medical conditions.

Since smoking cigarettes is risky, you may think chewing tobacco is a healthier option. However, there are many dangers associated with chewing on raw tobacco or using the tobacco pouches.

As the tobacco or pouches sit on your gums, nicotine seeps into your saliva, affecting your entire mouth and throat. This nicotine may curb your cravings, but it also stains your teeth and tongue. In addition, chewing tobacco also decreases the function of your tongue, causing numbness and irritating your taste buds.

Raw tobacco and the pouches also contain sugar, dyes, and other chemicals that can build up on your teeth and gums. Over time, this residue can lead to plaque, dental erosion, tooth decay, and even gum disease.

While shocking for many users of smokeless tobacco to learn, dipping can also cause cancer. With 48,250 Americans being diagnosed with oral or pharyngeal cancer this year alone, it is easy to see the importance of breaking this dangerous habit.

Don't Be a Dip: Use These Tips to Quit Dipping

Breaking any habit can be challenging. Fortunately, understanding the serious dangers of smokeless tobacco should give you some motivation to quit.

To get started, make a conscious effort to quit. Set a date and mark it on the calendar. Make sure you do not have any raw tobacco or pouches in your possession. Mark each day on the calendar that you were successful with breaking your habit.

Determine when and where you feel the desire to use chewing tobacco. If this time is after eating or when you experience stress, consider replacing the tobacco with a healthier hobby. If you experience cravings, take a walk or pop a piece of sugar-free gum into your mouth for a few minutes.

Visit your dentist for a professional cleaning and exam once you decide to quit the habit, as well. Undergo a whitening treatment to remove tobacco stains from your teeth.

If you have developed an early case of gum disease due to the heavy buildup of nicotine and plaque, your dentist may suggest a scaling and root planing. This treatment involves removing the buildup from the teeth and gum line using ultrasonic tools. Root planing is also beneficial, since it removes nicotine, plaque, and bacteria from the underling roots of your teeth.  

Proper understanding of the dangers of dipping is key to breaking this unhealthy habit. Using this guide and these tips, you can stop being a dip and quit the dangerous act of dipping. To learn more, visit a website like http://www.cresthillfamilydental.com.