Smoking can lead to loss of teeth, oral cancer

Currently there are 1.3 billion people on this planet who use tobacco in all its damaging forms. Let’s talk about its effect on the oral cavity.

University research has shown the smokeless tobacco as well as smoking tobacco in the majority of cases results in periodontitis (gum disease) and forms of oral cancer. Only half of all patients diagnosed with oral cancer survive more than five years.

For years, the American Dental Association (ADA) has sponsored advertising campaigns to encourage the public to stop using tobacco. For example, you no longer see professional baseball players chewing an...