Today’s topic is ‘The Dangers of Smokeless Tobacco’
Cigarette sales at most Comstock Park stores have decreased in the past decade, but some Comstock Park tobacco consumers have switched to smokeless products. This can cause irritation, gum disease, and in many cases, chronic use will lead to oral cancer.
There is a common misconception in the Rockford MI area (especially among teens) that smokeless tobacco is harmless. This is absolutely not true. Regardless of the specific type: spit tobacco, snuff, chew, or pinch; this form of tobacco is as deadly as conventional cigarettes.
At Stewart & Hull, we encounter serious consequences of smokeless tobacco use because many occur in the mouth. Oral cancer, mouth lesions, gum disease and tooth decay are the most common dental problems caused by smokeless tobacco in Michigan.
Keeping a pinch between your cheek and gum all day is worse than keeping a sucker in your mouth all day. The tobacco contains almost as much sugar as the candy but delivers harmful chemicals as an added bonus. The dangers are two-fold: the tobacco erodes the teeth and causes the gums to pull away from teeth.
Precancerous Mouth Lesion Screening in Michigan: Mouth Lesions are painful sores that could eventually become cancer. If smokeless tobacco use is stopped, the lesions often disappear within a year for Michigan cosmetic dental patients.
Oral Cancer in Comstock Park: Smokeless tobacco use in the Comstock Park and Rockford increases the risk for several types of life-threatening cancers including those of the mouth, gums, lips, tongue, and throat.
Oral cancers can be as deadly as lung cancer and usually require surgery. If the Michigan patient is fortunate and the cancer is successfully removed with surgery, the collateral damage to the face, neck, or jaw is often significant.
At Stewart & Hull in Comstock Park, we perform oral cancer screenings and mouth lesion examinations. To schedule an appointment, call 616-827-7019.
If you want to quit using smokeless tobacco products, we recommend that you consult Dr. Stewart & Dr. Hull at Stewart & Hull, your Comstock Park primary care dentist, or your Comstock Park pharmacist.
Stewart & Hull https://www.greatmismiles.com/
769 York Creek Dr NW
Comstock Park, Michigan 49321
Oral cancer screenings, Family Dentistry, General Dentistry
