Smokeless Is Not Harmless For Boise Tobacco Chewers

Hello Boise dental friends. Today’s topic is ‘The Dangers Of Smokeless Tobacco’.

Cigarette sales at most Boise stores have decreased in the past decade, but some Boise tobacco consumers have switched to smokeless products.

There is a common misconception in the Boise area (especially among teens) that smokeless tobacco is harmless. This is absolutely not true. Regardless of the specific type: spit tobacco, snuff, chew, or pinch, this form of tobacco is as deadly as old-school cigarettes.

At Blaisdell Family Dentistry, we encounter serious consequences of smokeless tobacco use because many occur in the mouth. Oral cancer, mouth lesions, gum disease and tooth decay are the most common dental problems caused by smokeless tobacco in Idaho.

Keeping a pinch between your cheek and gum all day is worse than keeping an all-day sucker tucked in there. The tobacco contains almost as much sugar as the candy but delivers dangerous chemicals as an added bonus. The dangers are two-fold: the tobacco erodes the teeth and also causes the gums to pull away from teeth.

Precancerous Mouth Lesion Screening in Idaho: Mouth lesions are painful sores that could eventually become cancer. If smokeless tobacco use is stopped, the lesions ordinarily disappear within a year for Idaho dental patients.

Oral Cancer in Boise: Smokeless tobacco use in Boise increases the risk for several types of life-threatening cancers including those of the mouth, gums, lips, tongue, and throat.

Oral cancers can be as deadly as lung cancer and usually require surgery. If the Idaho patient is fortunate and the cancer is successfully removed with surgery, the collateral damage to the face, neck, or jaw is not pretty.

These are the main dental risks of smokeless tobacco. Additionally, I should also mention two other biggies: addiction and heart disease, though those are topics for another day.

At Blaisdell Family Dentistry in Boise, we perform oral cancer screenings and mouth lesions examinations. To receive more details, or schedule an appointment, call 208-377-9696.

If want to quit using smokeless tobacco products, we recommend that you communicate with Drs. Blaisdell at Blaisdell Family Dentistry, your Boise primary care doctor, or your Boise pharmacist.