Robertson Gymnastics

It is believed that in some areas of good oral hygiene can offset the destructive effects of spit tobacco. This conviction could not be further from the truth. According to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, a government agency responsible for oral health, "there is no evidence that brushing and flossing will repair the damage that dip and chew are doing to your teeth and gums. "

Spit tobacco can be many different forms. It may be in powder form as snuff. It could be "chew" tobacco in leaf form, loose or twisted, dry or wet. But whatever the name, it is still tobacco.

The tobacco industry prefers to call it smokeless tobacco. The name gives lulls you into feeling that this type of tobacco is not as bad as cigarettes or other tobacco smoking materials. Do not be fooled. This type of tobacco can be devastating not only for your dental hygiene, but also your overall health.

Consider some of the things that chewing tobacco can cause.

Oral cancer tops the list as the most dangerous of these effects. It is no respecter of age. This self-induced disease attacks the young and the old.

The U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop, MD, in 1986, said that "smokeless tobacco is a significant risk to health. This is not a safe substitute for smoking cigarettes. It can cause cancer ... "

For those who chew or dip tobacco leave in their mouth for long periods of time, generally at the same location, which can cause gums to separate from the tooth in this area. When the gums detach from the tooth, sensitive tooth roots are exposed providing access to the root to a number of problems, sensitivity, decay and infection to name a few.

Another such problem is the side effect of sugar content in chewing tobacco. Sugar remains in the mouth the more damage it will do. The long periods that tobacco chewing in the mouth is a perfect opportunity for the sugars to work on the root of the tooth, causing tooth decay mass.

Many sports figures, as positive influences for young people, spoke against chewing tobacco. Torii Hunter of the Minnesota Twins American League winner of the Gold Glove, six years in a row came in force against chewing tobacco. Olympic gold medal winners, Picabo Street (alpine skiing) and Dominique Dawes (gymnastics) have lent the weight of their names to the campaign against chewing tobacco with the mega-star Jackie Chan.

Chewing tobacco does not cause damage, sometimes fatal, to anyone who can use it. No matter how much we brush or floss, the effects can be overcome only if the habit is stopped.

If you currently use chewing tobacco and want to quit smoking, there are some excellent guidelines issued by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research. Check their website for a step by step guide: http://www.nidcr.nih.gov/HealthInformation/DiseasesAndConditions/SpitTobacco/QuittingGuide

Follow the instructions, quit smoking or help someone quit smoking and let me know so I can celebrate with you. This is a dental problem that we have the power to end.