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The U.S. Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine has developed a Bite Site to enhance dental wellness. MAJ Georgia DelaCruz, DMD, MPH Dental Staff Officer, Wellness Resource Program, Directorate of Health Promotion and Wellness U.S. Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine (USACHPPM) hosts the H4H Clinician's Corner column every month to bring you clinical information, studies, and readiness commentary. She is the Fit 2 Bite dental subject matter expert! USACHPPM risk communications staff members support the review of Fit 2 Bite content.

If you have a question or comment related to dental wellness visit the dentist's chair, flash your smile, and fire away!

Choose Another Article:
      • The Gift of Oral Fitness
      • Oral Health and Nutrition
      • More Than Just Dirty Teeth and Bad Breath
      • Flosses and Waterpicks
      • Dental Treatment Anxiety
      • Frequent headaches? Can't sleep? Check your bite
      • How Can You Brighten Your Smile?
      • Smokeless Tobacco & Oral Health
      • Tea for Teeth
      • Smoke or Smokeless, Tobacco Habits are Nothing to Smile About
      • Good Oral Hygiene--Are You Prepared?
      • Report on Dental Disease Shows Disturbing Trend
      • Service Member's Glossary of Common Dental Terms
      • The Best Care in the World
      • What Leaders Can Do to Improve Dental Readiness
      • Combat Dentists Keep Troops' Teeth Healthy
      • MREs to contain xylitol gum to fight tooth decay
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Smokeless Tobacco & Oral Health

by Lt. Col. Richard Hughes
U.S. Army Dental Activity, Fort Knox, Ky.

Smokeless tobacco products such as chew or snuff are not safe alternatives to smoking. The oral health problems that result are plentiful and include bad breath, tooth discoloration and decay, recession, disease of the gums, diminished sense of taste/smell, and white patches and red sores that can lead to oral cancer.

Smokeless tobacco contains nicotine that is very addictive. After using tobacco for a short period of time, you will need another dip every 20 to 30 minutes to keep the buzz from ending. You may become dizzy and shaky when trying to quit.

Nicotine in tobacco can cause your heart to beat faster and is also linked to hypertension.

Tobacco juices can damage your gums, expose the roots of your teeth, lead to sensitive teeth or tooth loss, or cause worn surfaces on tooth enamel. If tobacco juice is swallowed, it can produce stomach ulcers.

Many people ignore the warning signs about the serious long-term health problems related to chewing and smoking. They can better relate to bad breath, stained teeth and financial drain on their wallets.

If you quit using tobacco products, many of the gum changes and side effects will disappear, foods will taste better and you will significantly decrease your risk of developing oral cancer.

If you are concerned about your oral health, do not wait until it's too late. A Family dentist can counsel tobacco users regarding the risks of using tobacco products and help plan a sensible tobacco-cessation program.

In addition, if you use smokeless tobacco, or have in the past, you should be on the lookout for some of these early signs of oral cancer:

     • A sore that does not heal.
     • A lump or white patch.
     • A prolonged sore throat.
     • Difficulty chewing/swallowing.
     • A movement of the tongue or jaws.
     • A feeling of something in the throat.

Pain is rarely an early symptom. For this reason all tobacco users need regular dental check-ups.

Source: Health Tips from Army Medicine, September-October 2003.