Category: Dental Care

Welcome back to another blog from our True Smiles Dental Team in Marrickville.  In this blog, we are going to discuss an important aspect of dental health – smoking and vaping. Regarding smoking, we know much of it as there has been concrete evidence over several years about its effects towards the teeth and gums. Vaping has become increasingly popular these last few years and although the there is no complete concrete evidence, there is arising evidence demonstrating the negative effects toward dental health. Today, we will delve into the effects to our health and therefore, allowing you to make informed decision about lifestyle choices.

The Basics: Smoking and Vaping

 

Understanding Smoking

Smoking involves the inhalation of smoke from tobacco and non-tobacco products. The standard market off-the-shelf products are known to have complex mix of over 7000 chemicals and fillers, in which many of those are known to be toxic and cariogenic (cancer causing). As cigarette smoking is one of the most accessible methods for smoking, it one of the most leading causes for many health problems dentally which includes gum disease, tooth loss and oral cancer. We will delve later in the blog how smoking does influences the dental structures.

Understanding Vaping

Although there is a time and place for vaping as it is seen as safer alternative to smoking, it still poses a significant risk to your dental health. Most vapes still contain nicotine and other harmful substances often including flavourings, propylene glycol and other chemicals. Such chemicals such as nicotine are addictive just like cigarettes and its chronic use has been showing some form of risk to your health. Amongst the other chemicals, we will soon delve into the common ingredient in both methods, nicotine, as a leading cause for dental diseases.

The Impact of Smoking and Vaping on Oral Health

 

1. Gum Disease

One of the leading threats by both smoking and vaping is increased risk of gum disease and if already existing, the severity and rate of the gum disease. Most notably, smoking has a correlation with the incidences of periodontal disease. Periodontal disease is a form of advanced gum disease whereby not only are the gums affected but also the bone underneath the gums. As you may know, the bone health are important to screen for as they are the foundation for the teeth to be stable.

 

One of the most significant threats posed by both smoking and vaping is an increased risk of gum disease. Gum disease, or periodontal disease, describes the inflammatory state of the gums that can result in both gum recession and tooth loss if untreated. Nicotine, found in both traditional cigarettes and many e-liquids, harms blood flow to the gums, which impedes healing and exacerbates inflammation.

Research Insights

Studies have shown that smokers are three times more likely to develop gum disease than non-smokers. The consequences can be severe, leading to symptoms like:

• Swollen or inflamed gums
• Bleeding when brushing or flossing.
• Persistent bad breath
• Loose teeth

Vaping can similarly contribute to gum disease. Although it may lack certain harmful chemicals found in traditional cigarettes, many vaping products still contain nicotine, which can obstruct blood circulation and hinder healing, thereby increasing the risk of periodontal issues ad affect periodontal healing.

2. Tooth Decay and Cavities

Both methods of smoking and vaping have also been known to increase the risk of tooth decay and cavities, thus requiring the need for restorations and potentially more extensive if left unaddressed. Generally, smoking changes the oral microbiome (oral bacteria) and the composition of our saliva. As you may already know, the mouth is filled with millions of good and bad bacteria, and thus, if smoking is changes the balance towards more bad bacteria, this will most likely negatively sway the oral health towards facing problems regarding the gums and tooth decay.

Tobacco and Cavity Formation

The sugar content in many vaping liquids can further heighten the risk of tooth decay. Flavoured e-liquids often contain high levels of sugars, and the act of vaping can expose teeth to prolonged periods of these sugars, promoting cavity formation. Particularly with vaping, unlike cigarettes, they are more accessible and convenient making it more inclined for people to vape more frequently. With multiple occasions of vaping throughout the day, it provides more attacks to the balance of the oral bacteria, leading to an increased risk of caries.

3. Staining and Discolouration

Tobacco smoke has a notorious reputation for staining teeth, creating a yellowish or brownish discoloration that can be difficult to reverse. The tar and nicotine in cigarettes latch onto tooth enamel and are notorious for their staining properties.

Tobacco smoke is also known to stain teeth in both ways. As patients have discussed in their appointments at True Smiles Dental Marrickville, a yellow and brownish discoloration of their teeth and this is because of the tar and nicotine that leads to the second of the tooth to discolour.

Vaping and Discolouration

While vaping does not produce tar, certain flavoured e-liquids can still lead to staining over time, especially those that contain darker pigments or sugars. If you choose to vape, understanding the potential for discolouration to occur.

4. Bad Breath

One of the less appealing but most common side effects of smoking and vaping is chronic bad breath, also known as halitosis. As smoking dries out the mouth, the saliva production is significantly decreased which leads to the ability for odour-causing bacteria to thrive. It is therefore common for such bacteria to coat heavily on the tongue as well, appearing as a yellowish thick coat of film, contributing to the odour as well.

As mentioned, dry mouth also increases the risk of gum disease and dental decay which those certain causing bacteria habituating around pockets and niche areas of the mouth release volatile compounds.

5. Oral Cancer

As many of you may know, oral cancer is largely associated with increased amount of smoking. As smoking contains a lot of chemicals that are harmful and the initial delivery of smoking is via the mouth, oral cancer is very commonly seen. As such, it is important to disclose with your dental practitioner if you are smoking so that they can understand the level of risk you are for possible oral cancer. In your appointments at True Smiles Dental, we do regular examinations around your tongue, cheeks, and back of your throat as these are the common spots where malignancies are commonly found.

Although vaping is often marketed as a cleaner alternative, there has been increasing evidence that it may also increase the risk of cancer due to the containment of harmful chemicals that are carcinogenic. Users should be aware of the potential consequences on their overall health, including oral cancer.

6. Changes in eating habits, taste and smell

As the common active ingredient, nicotine, is also known to dull senses and smells which makes food less enjoyable and skewing your palate as it hampers the taste buds, reducing certain taste receptors to flavours and diminishing taste experiences. Many report that once they start quitting their smoking for a couple of months, their ability to taste and enjoy foods and flavours returns prior to them initiating smoking.

It is also important to note that due to vaping containing enhanced, artificial flavours from e-liquids. This adaptation can reduce the enjoyment of subtle flavours and taste from foods.

Nicotine is also known to have appetite suppressor qualities, meaning those who smoke will have a lesser window of opportunity to consume adequate amounts of food particularly foods that are highly nutritious and protective against chronic conditions – both overall health and dental health.

 

Practical Recommendations for Oral Health in Smokers and Vapers

 

1. Smoking Cessation

The most direct advice if you smoke is to consider quitting. Many resources are available to assist you in your journey, including quit smoking hotline (137848), support groups, and nicotine replacement therapies such as nicotine gums and patch. Our dental professions at True Smiles Dental can also provide valuable support and strategies tailored to your individual needs.

2. Dental Hygiene Routine

Maintaining a rigorous dental hygiene routine is vital. Brush your teeth at least twice a day for two minutes with fluoride toothpaste and floss daily in order to reduce bacterial load.

3. Regular Dental Hygiene visits

Visit us regularly for your dental hygiene visit which involves a thorough examination and clean. At True Smiles Dental in Marrickville, our team of dentists and oral health therapists can monitor your oral health closely and address any concerns related to smoking or vaping, including professional cleanings that can manage periodontal disease and health, minimise staining and decay.

4. Stay Hydrated

Drinking plenty of water can help combat dry mouth caused by smoking and vaping. Increased saliva flow can aid in neutralising acids and protecting your teeth from decay.

5. Consider Smoking Alternatives

If you’re looking for alternatives to smoking or vaping, discuss options with your healthcare provider. There are various nicotine replacement therapies available that can support your transition to a smoke-free life.

6. Educate Yourself About Vaping Risks

Although current practices in Australia utilise vaping as a smoking alternative, it is still important to be aware of its potential risks. Research the ingredients and contents within the liquids and whilst they may contain fewer harmful agents than normal cigarettes, they still pose a serious risk to your oral and overall health.

The Role of True Smiles Dental in Your Oral Health Journey

Our team at True Smile Dental in Marrickville aim to ensure that you can maintain the healthiest smile and mouth as best as possible. We are here to help provide tailored advice, professional and gentle dental cleaning and ongoing maintenance to help reduce the effects of smoking and vaping onto your oral health.

Educating and increasing awareness is a significant part of our practice so that you can make informed decisions with an understands of your needs and challenges.

Conclusion

Smoking and vaping can have profound negative effects on your teeth and gums, leading to various dental problems, including gum disease, tooth decay, staining, and even increase your risk for oral cancer. Understanding these risks is essential for taking proactive steps to protect your oral health.

At True Smiles Dental in Marrickville, we advocate for your dental well-being and are committed to providing you with the necessary tools and support for maintaining a healthy smile. If you’re concerned about the impact of smoking or vaping on your oral health, please schedule an appointment with us today by calling (02) 7728 7272, email us at info@truesmilesdental.com.au or book online at https://truesmilesdental.com.au/appointment/. Together, we can work towards ensuring your smile remains bright and healthy for years to come.

Thank you for reading our blog on how smoking and vaping affect your teeth and gums. We hope you found this information helpful. Be sure to check back for more insightful dental-related articles.

Hello everyone! Thank you for tuning back in for another post where this time we’ll be discussing everything you need to know about brushing your teeth with the right toothbrush and toothpaste, and how often you should be changing your toothbrush. At True Smiles Dental, we believe that caring for your teeth starts with preventative care and patient education – what you do at home matters. Which is why when coming in for your regular check ups and cleans, we take our time learning

 

So, let’s start with a few questions, when was the last time you changed your toothbrush? Have a good look at it, do your bristles fan out? Is there a thin layer of debris from where the bristles start? And have you been sick recently? If you answered yes to any of those questions, it’s probably time for you to change your toothbrush.

 

If you think about how often you brush your teeth and all the germs and bacteria that sit in your mouth after a whole day of eating, imagine how well your toothbrush is cleaning everything! But, just like a sponge when you wash the dishes, it gets dirty over time. Bacteria builds up, and your toothbrush wears down over time, meaning it doesn’t do a good job of brushing your teeth as it should – which could lead to more plaque buildup, higher chances of gum disease and more chances of holes to form in your teeth. If you’ve had a tooth filling or deep clean for your gums before, it probably wasn’t the best experience, so to reduce the chances of this happening again, let’s start with the basics.

 

Cleaning in-between your teeth

Before brushing our teeth, we should start with cleaning in-between first. Reason being, food tends to get stuck between our teeth that our toothbrush and toothpaste can’t reach. Holes commonly form in between our teeth too, so it’s important to floss or use pixster brushes before brushing to get the food out, and let our toothpaste get in. If you tend to have tighter teeth and no implants, we’d recommend flossing your teeth. If you have a history of gum disease, have a wire to hold your teeth, an implant, bridge or wider gaps in your teeth, an appropriately sized pixster brush (recommended by your dentist or Oral Health Therapist) would be best.

 

How often should you brush your teeth?

Twice daily – after waking up and before going to bed

• Why brush in the morning?
  • During the night, we have bacteria that builds up in our mouths. If you ever notice that your breath stinks in the morning AKA “morning breath” – that’s plaque! And a simple brush in the morning before breakfast can help to reduce that bad breath and plaque build up
  • Additionally, our toothpaste contains a variety of ingredients that help protect our tooth enamel from stains and plaque. So, if you often have coffee in the morning, it’s best to brush your teeth before having breakfast.
• Why brush at night?
  • After a whole day of eating and drinking, there’s plaque that builds up along your teeth that attracts bacteria to the tooth, which could potentially lead to decay.
  • Plaque over long periods of time can also lead to calculus, or tartar buildup (the hard yellow bits that usually forms in your lower front teeth), which can’t be removed at home and requires a professional clean to be removed. Calculus can lead to eventual gum recession and loose teeth if left untreated for years.

 

What toothpaste should I use?

You can’t go wrong when you choose a normal toothpaste from Oral B, Colgate or Sensodyne. For adults, if you tend to have sensitivity, we’d recommend a toothpaste labelled for sensitive teeth, but otherwise, make sure that the concentration of fluoride listed on the packaging is anywhere from 1000-1500ppmF.

Toothpaste that we recommend staying away from is anything that contains charcoal. It tends to dry our teeth out and cause more abrasiveness, which could harm our gums and cause recession. Whitening toothpaste too, tends not to whiten our teeth but remove micro layers of stain while potentially causing sensitivity and gum abrasion.

For kids, we recommend following the guidelines listed on the box unless a higher concentration is recommended by your dental practitioner.

 

So, when should you change your toothbrush?

To put it simply, you should be changing your toothbrush:

1. Once every 3-4 months
2. After getting sick from a virus, disease or infection
3. And, when you start noticing that your bristles flare out

As we mentioned earlier, we generally recommend changing your toothbrush every 3-4 months as your toothbrush wears down and bacteria starts to visibly build and form on the base of the brush. If you notice the bristles flare out before and during the time you need to change your toothbrush, you might also be brushing too hard. Flared bristles tend to do a poorer job of brushing your teeth and may additionally irritate your gums and cause inflammation. It’s important to change within the 3-4 month time period as your toothbrush gradually becomes less effective at removing plaque on your teeth. This increases your risk of potential gum disease and decay, meaning more unpleasant visits to the dentist.

 

So now that you’re changing your toothbrush, what should you change it to? There’s a few things to consider but our golden rule is: always stick with a soft toothbrush. Soft toothbrushes are the best for removing plaque without traumatizing and damaging your gums. While a medium and hard toothbrush can be better at removing plaque, the damage done to your gums is irreversible and, unfortunately, that gum recession doesn’t grow back. Over time, gum recession can lead to increased sensitivity and discomfort from cold drinks and food – so try and go with the softest toothbrush available, either a manual or an electric toothbrush is fine, they both perform well when used properly. When changing the head for your electric toothbrush, make sure to look out for the sensitive or gum focused range. For our regular toothbrushes, try stick to the normal ones with no plastic in the head, the more bristles there are, the more likely it can reach in-between your teeth for a proper clean.

 

If you would like more information regarding whether you should use a normal or electric toothbrush, please check out or other blog, “Are Electric toothbrushes or manual toothbrushes better?” for further insight.

 

Otherwise, if you’re uncertain about the best toothbrush or oral hygiene tools for your needs, your Marrickville Dentist or Oral health therapist at True Smiles Dental can help provide the best advice. During our hygiene appointments, we adopt a Guided Biofilm Therapy (GBT) protocol which means we plaque disclose your teeth to identify missed areas of plaque and biofilm in your mouth prior to a professional clean with our EMS airflow. This helps to tailor our oral hygiene advice specifically to each individual as needed.

 

Contact the team at True Smiles Dental, Marrickville today for an appointment on (02) 7228 7272 or book online today at https://truesmilesdental.com.au/appointment to make an appointment.