Snus, Nicotine And Gum Health Issues
It isn’t just smoking cigarettes that is bad for the oral health of our Ipswich patients.
Some of you may have seen a recent article on the BBC website about the rise in the use of ‘snus’, especially among teenagers. These are small teabag like pouches that contain nicotine, sometimes in very high quantities, that provide a ‘hit’ to those who use them. Nicotine is highly addictive too which is why many people struggle to stop smoking.
Most of you will hopefully already be aware of the risks that smoking can cause to your oral health. Many of you will probably think that the issue is with the actual smoke that contains chemicals (as well as staining your teeth), and you would be right. This isn’t the full story though and the nicotine contained in them can also contribute quite significantly too. Quitting smoking then, but using snus or other nicotine containing substances, can still cause significant harm to your teeth and gums.
Why is snus so bad?
One reason for this is that they are poorly regulated and easy to obtain by anyone, including teenagers. They are also quite cheap, coming in at around £5 for twenty of them; much cheaper than cigarettes. They can also be flavoured to make them more palatable to younger consumer’s taste buds. Although these snus products may prove to be less harmful than cigarettes, or even possibly vaping, there are still risks to general health, especially cardiovascular risks. The chances of problems arising increases with stronger versions too.
Oral health problems
The biggest danger, we believe, at the Foxhall Dental Practice, is that the snus pouches are placed between the lips and the gum, often, but not always, at the top front. Most users place them in the same spot each time which means that localised problems are more likely. This gives them direct contact with the gums which play an important role in keeping our teeth stable and healthy.
The biggest issue is that the snus pouches are designed to allow nicotine to rapidly enter the bloodstream in the area where they are placed. As we have mentioned before, nicotine causes the tiny blood vessels in the area to constrict and reduce the flow of blood and oxygen to the area. This means that the health of the gum in that area is likely to deteriorate. Any dental procedures carried out in that area are also likely to heal more slowly which increases the risk of infections occurring. There have been reports of gum simply peeling away and, in some cases, exposing the roots of the tooth.
As gum disease takes hold due to the use of these pouches, localised bone loss is also likely to occur. This can loosen the bone’s grip on the teeth in that area, which may then become loose and even eventually fall out.
Dental implants
Patients who are having dental implants placed are told to quit smoking for a period of time either side of the procedure so that the bonding process between implant and bone can take place successfully. This can be a problem for some people who are addicted to cigarettes. It can be tempting to seek out a nicotine alternative to prevent withdrawal symptoms that often occur if you go ‘cold turkey’. In this situation, snus should never be used due to the local area in which it is absorbed. Nicotine patches may be a better option although nicotine can still have the same effect, albeit not absorbed so locally. If you are having implants placed, you will need to discuss your options with our Ipswich implant dentist if you currently smoke.
Basically put then, while smoking is the worst thing that you can do for your teeth generally regarding nicotine intake, snus is not a safe alternative as far as your gum health is concerned. The fact that these are so easily available to children is a concern too and could cause premature tooth loss at an early stage of life which can have significant impacts for years to come.
If you don’t smoke or use nicotine alternatives at the moment then our advice is don’t start. Nicotine is very addictive and hard to stop once you start. As you can see, it can also cause significant damage to your teeth and gums.
If you would like further advice about how smoking and nicotine products harm your oral health, we are happy to offer advice on this. A smoke and nicotine free lifestyle will certainly go a long way to helping you have a healthy mouth, along with good cleaning and check ups at the Foxhall Dental Practice on a regular basis. For more information on this matter or to book appointments etc, please call our Ipswich dental practice on 01473 258396.