Hookah smoking is a popular activity for the young and old alike, and has even been gaining popularity in metropolitan city centers: hookah lounges are very popular among residents and college students. The Mediterranean past time of smoking fruit-flavored tobacco (known as shisha) out of a water bong is safer for the lungs than traditional cigarette smoke (as the smoke is filtered through water and ice chambers), but does this smoke harm the oral health as normal cigarette smoke does?
Hookah smoke is damaging to your teeth.
Unfortunately, there is no good news for Hookah smokers. Although the benefits to a water hookah’s filtration have been debated, hookah smoke contains the same toxins as cigarettes which can cause increased blood pressure and risk for heart attack, as well as impaired liver function. In addition to these detractors, hookah smoke is no healthier for your mouth than common cigarettes. Researchers from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm studied 262 adults in Saudi Arabia (where hookah smoking is extremely common and culturally condoned) to test this hypothesis – the group was made up of both exclusively cigarette smokers and exclusively hookah smokers, as well as smokers who partook in both forms of smoking.
After an extended period of observation, 20% of the group was found to have signs of gum disease – 30% of hookah smokers and 24% of cigarette smokers were affected by these symptoms. While other factors like age and diet were taken into account, the study concluded that regular hookah smokers are five times more likely than non-smokers to develop gum disease, whereas cigarette smokers were 4 times more likely to develop gum disease. This information might actually suggest that hookah smoke is more dangerous than cigarettes to your oral health! The bottom line is that any form of smoke – whether it is from a cigarette or a water pipe – is harmful to your body and your mouth. Gum disease is only the beginning of long-term systemic problems that occur with smokers, and can lead to tooth deterioration, tooth loss and eventually oral cancer (which is usually detected late, quickly becoming deadly). Curbing your smoking habits and substituting them with healthier living patterns will help you in the long run.
Cancer is devastating, but through prevention we can often detect oral cancer’s presence in early stages (essential for survival). Oral cancer kills roughly one person per hour in America, more than 34,000 Americans will be diagnosed this year and only half will be alive in 5 years. If you expand the oral cancer to the larynx and the data to world wide, over 400,000 new cases are found each year according to the Oral Cancer Foundation.
Of the many known risk factors associated with oral cancer, cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption are the most common. When you smoke tobacco or drink alcohol, the harmful substances introduced to your body have adverse effects on your organs, and are both addictive and linked to numerous types of cancers, not just oral cancer. There are 50 known carcinogens and among 4000 different chemicals in cigarette tobacco smoke, 9 out of every 10 oral cancer patients are smokers. Frequent drinking will dramatically increase the ability of cancer-causing substances present in alcoholic beverages to penetrate the lining of your mouth, such as Acetaldehyde – which forms in a person’s mouth after using alcoholic mouthwash (suspected to be carcinogenic). Human Papilloma Virus, (HPV) is another common contributor to oral cancer. Common symptoms of the beginning stages of oral cancer include rough bumps or patchy legions on the lips or tongue, or any part of the mouth, white sores which are sensitive to temperature and pressure, and difficulty swallowing.
Unfortunately, most oral cancer cells are malignant and can rapidly spread to surrounding tissues (most of these cases were found in a late stage). Early detection is essential to increasing the chances of successfully treating oral cancer. There are several ways to screen for oral cancer, an advanced and non-invasive way to screen is through use of the VELscope, which produces a fluorescent light onto oral tissues. If the fluorescent luminescence reflects off of the oral tissue, no cancer is present. Cancerous tissue will absorb the light and appear dark on the device. There are other methods for oral cancer screenings also, be sure to request one at your next dental check-up visit, especially if you fall into the high risk group of being male, over 40, who smokes and drinks.
If detected early, oral cancer patients have up to a 90% survival rate. The key to preventing oral cancer is to lead a healthy lifestyle and have regular checkups with both your dental and general health care professional.
There is no way around it: smoking and drinking have a detrimental effect on your dental health, in addition to the rest of your body’s health. There could be arguments about the benefits of a glass of red wine or the medical use of marijuana, but as your health provider, my message is to encourage a clean , healthy drug-free way of living! When you smoke tobacco or drink alcohol, the harmful substances introduced to your body have adverse effects on your organs, and are both addictive and linked to cancers. As far as to your dental health, they can lead to tooth staining and discoloration, tooth decay, gum inflammation and disease, bone loss even tooth loss, as well as an increased risk of developing oral cancer.
Smoking and drinking directly passes foreign material through the oral cavity, generating adverse effects on your oral cavity. Alcohol is a desiccant (drying things up); heavy drinking dramatically decreases moisture needed to maintain a healthy oral cavity. A dry mouth increases one’s likelihood of developing tooth decay, gum disease, bad breath, fungal infection, burning sensations or soreness of the mouth. Alcohol’s acidic nature can also erode the enamel coating on a drinker’s teeth, leading to an increased chance of sensitivity and decay. Long-term contact with alcohol in the oral cavity has also been found to be possibly carcinogenic. Frequent drinking will dramatically increase the ability of cancer-causing substances present in alcoholic beverages to penetrate the lining of your mouth, such as Acetaldehyde – which forms in a person’s mouth after using alcoholic mouthwash (suspected to be carcinogenic).
Smoking is equally detrimental to your oral health. Bad breath (halitosis), sinusitis and tooth discoloration will be the first signs of oral stress of a smoker, as nicotine and tar present in cigarette smoke stains the teeth. Smoking can also result in gum disease, leading to bone loss and tooth loss from decreases in blood flow and oxygen level, and increased plaque and tartar build-up. Smoking also raises the temperature of your mouth to 140-160º F, causing constant irritation and inflammation. An increased risk of developing oral cancer is also a consequence which should not to be over looked – there are 4000 different chemicals in tobacco smoke and 50 are known carcinogens. Nearly 90% of all oral cancer patients are smokers!
In all, smoking and drinking equally wreak havoc on your teeth, gums and oral environment. Avoid smoking and drinking at all costs, and keep your oral hygiene in tip-top condition by brushing , flossing , fluoridation, proper nutrition, and increasing the intake of supplements of vitamin Bs and C. Antioxidants are essential as well.
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