It’s well understood that smoking is bad for your oral health. The smoke irritates your gums, stains your teeth, dries out your mouth, and impedes your circulation so that your mouth cannot heal itself. However, this is not the end of the story. According to recent research on the effects of smoking on your oral bacteria, it would seem that this unfortunate habit has a strong effect on your microbiota.
After taking samples from over twelve hundred American adults, researchers found that people who either smoke or used to smoke have significantly higher levels of about 150 different types of oral bacteria, and lower levels of 70 other species. About ten percent more species of streptococcus, representing the bacteria known to be responsible for tooth decay, were found in smokers’ mouths. Meanwhile, proteobacteria, a type of microbe responsible for breaking down toxins in the mouth, make up only 4.6% of a smoker’s oral bacteria, as opposed to the 11.7% in a normal mouth.
If you’ve ever been a smoker, even if you’ve given it up, you are probably at a higher risk of tooth decay and oral cancer. Talk to our Lynnwood dentistry clinic to learn more about maintaining good oral health.
