Smoking: Why You Should Avoid Smoking & Tobacco Use

Dental implants are a fantastic way to replace missing teeth permanently, and they can easily last a long time with proper care and the right lifestyle changes. But that last part is key, especially if you’re a smoker or a tobacco user.

The effects of smoking and tobacco use increases the chances of your implant(s) failing. According to some studies, your implant is 4x more likely to fail if you continue to smoke after dental implant surgery. While there are certainly other things that can raise the risk of implant failure, smoking is one of the leading causes of various implant complications. In this blog from New Horizon Institute, we’ll explore the relationship between smoking and implants in more detail, and explain why you should absolutely quit smoking before you get an implant.
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How Smoking Affects Your Mouth As You Recover From Dental Implant Surgery

Smoking is the most dangerous for your mouth right after your dental implant surgery. After your surgery, your mouth needs to heal and bond with the dental implant. Smoking and tobacco use interfere with this natural healing process.

This is because smoking reduces oxygen levels in the blood, and it also exposes cells to harmful, carcinogenic chemicals like carbon monoxide and nicotine. This can prevent your implant site from healing properly, affect your jaw bone’s ability to bond with your implant (osseointegration), and even contribute to a higher risk of implant infection (peri-implantitis).

For this reason, you should avoid tobacco for at least 2-3 months after your implant surgery. This is a perfect opportunity to quit tobacco permanently, and finally put this unhealthy habit behind you. If you don’t, you have a much higher risk of implant failure.
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Can I Start Smoking Again After My Dental Implants Heal?

You may think that you can start smoking again once your implants have healed, but that’s still not a good idea. Here’s why:

• Shorter overall implant lifespan – Even after they heal, smoking can damage your implants. It’s harmful to your gums, so smoking can contribute to your risk of a gum infection near your implant (peri-implantitis). Even with proper oral hygiene, smoking dramatically raises your risk of implant failure and shortens its expected lifespan.
  
  
• Higher risk of gum disease and cavities – You’re putting your other teeth and your gums at risk too. Patients who smoke have a much higher risk of gum disease and cavities, which could damage your other teeth.
  
  
• Oral cancer risk – Tobacco use is also the #1 risk factor for a whole range of head and neck cancers, not to mention lung cancer. By quitting, you’ll keep your mouth healthy, and you’ll be able to minimize your risk of developing cancer in the future.
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Interested In Implants In Gilbert? Come To New Horizon Dental Today!

At New Horizon Institute, our team of surgical experts specialize in dental implants, and we serve patients from all walks of life. If you think that dental implants may be right for replacing your missing teeth, we’re always here to help. Contact us online or give us a call at (480) 664-2270 to learn more about our services, schedule a consultation, and get the help you need.