If you smoke, your dentist knows it. Along with tinted-yellow teeth, smokers are at greater risk for a long list of unpleasant oral issues, with tooth loss leading the pack. A smile-killing 41% of daily smokers over age 65 are toothless. If that's not enough to make you snuff out the habit, smoking can also raise your chances of calculus -- plaque that hardens on the teeth and can only be removed during a professional cleaning; deep pockets between the teeth and gums; loss of the bone and tissue that support your teeth; mouth sores; and oral cancer. Bottom line? The risk of not caring for your teeth far outweighs the effort required to keep your mouth clean -- so get brushing!
Questions to Ask Your Dentist
Speak up the next time you're in the dental chair. When it comes to your health, this is a good time to get mouthy:
- How do my oral health habits -- how often I brush and floss -- affect the rest of my body, not just my gums and teeth?
- What are signs to watch out for in my mouth that might indicate something has gone awry in my body?
- What do you need to know about my health history to evaluate my oral health?
- Have you seen any warning signs of a possible serious condition that I should relay to my doctor?
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