Effects of Tobacco Stains on Teeth

The use of tobacco products has more effects on the teeth than just staining the enamel. At the minimum, tobacco stains the teeth and oral mucosa. At the maximum, use of tobacco can cause cancer in just about every organ in the body. Staining of the teeth and gums are only the first of many oral complications caused by the use of tobacco.

Tobacco Stains on Teeth

• Use of tobacco products in the mouth, either through smoking or chewing, causes substantial amounts of stain, darkening the teeth over a short period. The spaces between the teeth darken from tobacco use first, as it is difficult for the toothbrush to get between the teeth. Dental floss is not intended to remove stains, but intended to remove plaque below the gum line. Over time, the stain can become extremely difficult.

Tobacco Stains on Dental Appliances

• Teeth are not the only thing in the mouth to stain as a result of tobacco use. The tobacco sticks to everything from gum tissue to crowns, to dentures. Crowns and bridges, as well as tooth-colored fillings will stain just as easily as the teeth will. Over time, gum tissue will begin to look more brown. Partial denture acrylic will turn brown, and even the metal on the partial will attract a coat of stain. For those who believe stains to be just a change in color, it will be apparent that tobacco stains build on themselves over time and must be physically scraped off. At some point, without proper cleaning of the appliance, a denture will turn brown to the point that even the denture cleaning tablets will not remove the stain.

Beyond the Tobacco Stains on the Teeth

• Staining of the teeth is the least of a tobacco user's worries. Smoking or chewing tobacco vastly complicates oral conditions, such as gum disease. The build-up of stain on the teeth and gums encourages gum disease to become rampant. Tartar builds up faster, and before the tobacco user notices, a nice shoal of plaque and calculus has invaded the bone around the teeth. The calculus and plaque leave acidic deposits that destroy the bone and other supporting tooth structures, bolstered by the toxic ingredients of tobacco. Gum disease is the number one reason for loss of teeth.

Tobacco Stains and the Tongue

• Often the tongue is the biggest victim of the tobacco habit. Tobacco can cause the papilla (fine little bumps) and the taste buds to suffer. The papilla swell, as do the taste buds further back on the tongue. As the tongue gets assaulted more by the tobacco, these papilla and taste buds begin to develop fissures or cracks, which can be quite unsightly. The upset papillary tissues and the new fissures begin to stain and can sometimes get a brown color. The stain embeds to where it cannot be easily brushed off.