Smoking tobacco is harmful to your health in many ways, including cancer, damaging your teeth and gums. Dental screening is important for all smokers, but especially for college students who may be more likely to start smoking at an early age or to smoke more frequently than adults.
The risks of smoking tobacco
Smoking tobacco is associated with an increased risk of gum disease, tooth decay, and mouth cancer. Gum disease is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults, and smokers are more likely to develop gum disease than nonsmokers.
Tooth decay is also more common among smokers, and smokers are more likely to develop mouth cancer than nonsmokers.
The benefits of dental screening
Dental screening can help identify problems early, when they are most easily treated. It can also help you learn how to take care of your teeth and gums so that you can avoid or reduce the risks of smoking-related dental problems.
Who should get dental screening?
All smokers should get dental screening, but it is especially important for college students. College students are more likely to start smoking than adults, and they are also more likely to smoke more frequently. This means that college students have a higher risk of developing smoking-related dental problems.
