Sunbury dentist helps patient to quit smoking

Smoking can have a massive detrimental effect on your health in general and specifically on your oral health. It is responsible for causing oral cancers, gum disease and tooth decay and cavities. Smokers are far more likely to have dental problems and loose teeth than non-smokers.

Patients may see a dentist more regularly than a doctor and as dentists will be able to see visible evidence of smoke damage, they can play an important role in helping patients to kick the habit. Most smokers suffer from periodontal disease at some point, as well as other dental problems, and a dentist is well placed to offer advice about how to avoid these problems by quitting. By giving up, patients greatly increase their chances of having healthy teeth.

Dentists are increasingly receiving training in smoking cessation, meaning that they will be able to serve a dual role of dentist and cessation councillor. Using their unique position they can warn patients about the dangers of smoking to their oral health and can offer advice on the most successful ways to give up. They will also be able to inform patients about the greatly increased further health risks of smoking such as heart disease and lung cancer. The state of a smoker’s teeth might be indicative of this further damage and the brief consultation with a dentist can help to make them aware of this fact.

Sunbury dentists are trained, or receiving training, in smoking cessation. They are taking advantage of their unique position and regular contact with patients to offer the most effective and up to date methods of quitting. Hopefully they can greatly improve patients’ dental health and health in general.