Based on thousands of dental recall exams that have been performed over the years in my New York dental office I believe it does contribute to periodontal disease with and without pocketing. Many of my patients who smoke do have adequate home care and keep to their re-care schedules, but they still seem to have more bone loss over the years than my patients who do not have a smoking habit. It is not clear why this is so, but most dentists would agree that smoking is bad for your gums. Their teeth also become more stainned between cleanings and it definately takes longer to clean their teeth.

Implant surgeons also report less success placing implants in smokers and it has been theorized that smoker’s lower success rate may be due to poorer vascularization of the supporting bone. This may be an effect of the nicotine inhaled from cigarettes. If cigarette smoking affects the blood supply of the periodontium (the tooth supporting structures), then it stands to reason that it’s probably bad for teeth in the long run!

If a smoker is seriously concerned about holding onto their teeth, then this article will provide still another reason to consider ending their smoking habit! For another article about smoking on this website please visit : http://www.lspindeldds.com/smoking