THE SMOKING GUM

THE SMOKING GUM

As a Hygienist I see my role in smoking cessation as crucial, My experience over the last 40 years, has given me a good insight into the damage smoking causes to the mouth and its surrounding structures

When I started my career in the 70s at least 50% of my patients smoked and so did I, indeed to my shame if I had a difficult patient with lots of tobacco stain, I would sneak off afterwards to the staff room for a ciggy .

I stopped when I was 30 thank goodness, but I believe I lost 3 of my molar teeth through smoke damage

When I say smoke damage, that’s exactly what I mean. Obviously the chemicals and nicotine are harmful and carcinogenic. But what occurred to me was that I was barbequing my gums and soft tissues with hot smoke which I sucked in with the power of a Henry Hoover forcing the smoke into the tissues,

As we know smoke rises, so the palate becomes like a kipper Pale and devoid of a blood supply, The intensity of the smoke will hit the upper back molars as it is sucked up.  As a Hygienists I could Identify  that the gingival palatal tissue surrounding the number  6 and 7 molars in smoker has receded by at least 4-5mm, not so much the buccal aspect, perhaps the cheek tissue prevents the infusion of the smoke!!

As far as I know there has not been any scientific research into this theory, but one only has to look at the crinkled lined lips of smokers   and dehydrated facial skin, to acknowledge there is something more to this than just nicotine.

People of my generation grew up with smoking it was the norm Indeed for us ladies it was seen as sophisticated   remember the iconic photo with “Audrey Hepburn”

What really concerns me now is the amount of young people smoking, because of the cost they have turned to rolling their own “ Not sophisticated not a Good look” How does this compare to tailor made cigarettes. Is the tobacco stronger  in roll ups? Is there less protection from the filters? Do they inhale more or less smoke?  Again I can’t find any research relating to this.

When broaching the subject of smoking with my patients again I take a very holistic approach. They don’t want to be nagged yet again by another health care professional. They KNOW smoking is bad for them. I am honest about my experience of smoking. I take on board all the other daily stress of their lives.  These are people not just mouths with teeth and gums all I want for them is to keep their health teeth and sanity.

I can help them to understand what the consequences are, they can then make informed decisions   and that’s all I ask.

When I finish treatment I ask patients not to smoke for at least one hour to give the enamel a chance to re mineralize. I hope to plant the seeds awareness they may think about stopping .Its a start

Like weight loss and many of these addictive problems patients have to want to stop. We mustn’t tell them off or the shutters will come down and they probably won’t return

As for me I wouldn’t even dare have one .It seems such a good Idea at a party with a glass of merlot, but two weeks later you are standing in the corner shop saying  “Twenty Bensons please “