A lot of people believe chewing tobacco to be a much safer alternative to smoking. After all, it is inhaling all those carcinogens that hurts your health, right? Not exactly.
Chewing tobacco may be a bit better for your lungs than smoking, but that does not make it healthier than smoking for your body as a whole.
The Truth About Chewing Tobacco
Chewing tobacco can do a number on your mouth. It can cause your lips, cheeks, tongue, and other oral tissues to crack and bleed. When you have chewing tobacco in your mouth, the effects hit your bloodstream very quickly. It speeds up your heart rate. It increases your blood pressure. Chewing tobacco can throw your heart out of its regular rhythm and make you more susceptible to having a stroke or a heart attack.
Chewing tobacco is also one of the leading factors in oral cancer. It can leave you with much higher chances of developing gum disease and tooth loss. It can get into areas where small cavities have formed and turn those minor problems into much larger issues that require extractions to rid your mouth of infection or disease. It can also cause the bone around your teeth to dissolve, leaving your teeth falling out even if by some chance you do not have gum disease.
Don’t think that chewing tobacco is better for your mouth than cigarettes. Tobacco in any shape can do a lot of damage to your body. It can quickly cause problems within your mouth, and it can lead to systemic issues around your entire body. Don’t take the chance that it may spare you, because the reality is, it won’t.
Contact our office today and get seen if you have been using chewing tobacco. Let them help you keep your mouth as healthy as possible until you are able to quit.