Dentistry & Tobacco: The Life-saving Link that Most Dentists Are Keeping Alive
Recent polls have shown that dentists are aggressively speaking out against tobacco use. The effects of tobacco on teeth, gums, and general oral health are extensive and, dentists say, corrective procedures aren't worth the risk.
Johns Creek, GA, December 5, 2014 (Newswire.com) - Dentistry Today has recently put forth the results of research regarding the crux of dentistry and tobacco use. Some dentists – a majority, as the study finds, are speaking blatantly with their patients about tobacco use. Because the side effects of tobacco use are largely oral, including mouth cancers, lesions, and general tooth decay, dentists feel it is their duty to get involved.
Whether patients know it or not, all dentists perform screenings while they clean your teeth routinely. They are looking for sores and lesions, growths, or anything else that looks out of place. They will alert patients as to any anomalies and offer suggestions for treatment implementation or changes in hygiene. Early detection is always key. When dentist notice a pattern in the mouth which might allude to tobacco use, they will often be adamant against the habit and offer rationale for their disapproval.
One such dentist who speaks adamantly against tobacco use is Dr. Wayne Trowell of Family Dentistry & Orthodontics in Johns Creek, Georgia. His practice is completely anti-tobacco, especially after servicing so many patients whose elaborate reconstructive procedures are performed as a direct result of years of tobacco usage. Dr. Trowell maintains that the result of tobacco use is that more dentists are going to be whitening stained teeth, sure, but the bigger problem is restorative. He doesn’t mind whitening stains from teeth, as these can also be borne from coffee, wine, and general wear. He is much more concerned, as most dentists are, when he has to pull one tooth or several teeth as a result of decay and replace them with implants or dentures. This is the most unnerving part of the dental field to Dr. Trowell and others who truly care about their patients. The dentists work to make the procedures as quick and painless as possible but, as Dr. Trowell will tell you, it’s still surgery.
In fact, dentists are doing more than asking patients about tobacco usage and advising against it. Many dentists are now providing smoking cessation literature and programming. It is all part of an initiative for public health and the overall wellness in Johns Creek and everywhere that these militant anti-tobacco dentists are taking action.