THEA world -day without tobacco is an anniversary, celebrated annually on May 31, whose purpose is to encourage people to abstain for at least 24 hours from tobaccoinviting them to quit smoking. The theme chosen for 2025 by the World Health Organization is “Unmasking the appeal: Expose Industry Tactics on Tobacco and Nicotine Products“, That is, unmasking the strategies of the tobacco and nicotine industry to make these products more captivating, in particular for the youngest.
Quit smoking starting from the health of the mouth
Among the areas most affected by smoke there is the mouth: teeth, gums, mucous membranes are directly and indirectly affected by the harmful effects of tobacco. Also alterations of taste and also oral implantology, increasingly widespread, can also have been compromised in smoking subjects.
Smoking damages the teeth: how and why
Those who smoke frequently can see a progressive yellowing of the teeth- explains the Dr. Massimiliano Rea Dentistra at Poliambulatorio Dentisto Errese of Ferrara– Nicotine and tar contained in cigarettes bind to the dental surface and penetrate the enamel, altering the color. However, the impact is not only aesthetic: smoking contributes to the formation of plaque and tartar, hindering correct oral hygiene and promoting the onset of caries.
Gums and mucous membranes: the silent targets of smoking
Smoking compromises the vascularization of oral fabrics- continues Dr. Re-Rooming the ability of the gums to defend itself from bacterial attacks. This explains why in smokers periodontal disease progresses more quickly and with less evident symptoms: bleeding can be masked by a vasoconstriction induced by nicotine. The oral mucosa is also affected by the irritating action of inhaled substances: cellular alterations, precancerous injuries and a greater impact of mycotic infections and leukoplacies can be manifested.
Smoking and risk of oral cancer
Oral cavity carcinoma represents about 2.1 % of all tumors globally and is fifteenth per incidence among all neoplasms. It is a malignant neoplasm that can affect tongue, mouth floor, cheeks and palate. Smoking and alcohol represent the main risk factors, especially if combined: in smokers the appearance of leukoplacies (lesions of the “white” mucous membranes) and erythroplakies (lesions of the “red” mucous membranes) is more frequent and can be a first sign of alarm. Yet, as well as mouth cancer, it often promises to be in time, in many cases the diagnosis takes place at an advanced stage.
Taste and smell: the senses attenuated by smoking
Smoking alters the perception of flavors and smells- adds Dr. Rea-this alteration is due to direct damage to the sensory cells of the language and nose, but also to the reduction of blood flow and the increase in local inflammation. These effects are partially reversible: quitting smoking allows, over time, a recovery of sensory skills.
Electronic cigarette: an harmless alternative?
Electronic cigarettes are often presented as less harmful than traditional ones. However, several studies have highlighted that these can also cause negative effects on the oral cavity. The inhaled aerosol contains irritating and potentially toxic substances, which can contribute to the gingival inflammation, the dryness of the mouth and the modification of the oral bacterial flora.
Smoke and dental systems: a problematic combination
Smoking is considered one of the main risk factors for implant failure. The impairment of microcirculation, the alteration of the healing process and the increased risk of peri -implant infections are documented aspects. Quitting smoking improves the quality of sleep, concentration, mood and significantly reduces the risk of serious cardiovascular and oncological pathologies. But not only. Even the quality of life improves radically: energies are recovered, tastes and perfumes are rediscovered, the sense of trouble is reduced, and you earn a new perception of oneself.
After smoking: how to help the smile find its splendor
Quitting smoking is the first step in improving the appearance and health of the Bocca- highlights the expert- with the correct hygine and dental therapies and with the home hygiene coretta, the oral tissues recover part of their vitality, and it can be intervened to reduce the damage that in the meantime have been created by smoking. The alterations of the color of the teeth can also be correct through oral hygiene and the whitening made safely by a professional. Unfortunately, the smoke does not affect a single organ, but the whole body. It is a silent enemy that undermines our energy, our skin, our breath every day. In particular, for women- highlights the Dr. Laura Mazzotta- Aesthetic doctor, nutritionist, specialist in hygiene and preventive medicine and medical director of Poliambulatorio Aesthe Medical of Ferrara- In the effects are even more subtle: the metabolism can alter, the skin loses elasticity before time, wrinkles are accentuated, and hormonal health can also be affected.
Is it really possible to reverse aesthetic damage?
The answer is always the same- continues the expert- it is never too late to take care of yourself. With the right combination of treatments and a healthy lifestyle, it is possible to obtain visible and lasting results. But everything starts from a decision: that of quitting.
More beautiful and less wrinkle skin: the beauty that is reborn when you stop smoking
One of the most obvious effects of smoking is precisely on the skin. The skin of the smokers tends to be darker, more gray and less elastic, because smoking reduces the intake of oxygen to the tissues and accelerates the destruction of collagen, the protein responsible for compactness and skin tonicity. Aesthetic damage focuses above all around the mouth, where the so -called “smoker wrinkles” appear early: small vertical lines that are deepened with the years and which are difficult to correct, even with aesthetic treatments.
Stop the degenerative process
Quitting smoking is the first, a fundamental step to interrupt this degenerative process. After a few weeks, the skin begins to re -acquire brightness. After a few months- underlines Dr. Mazzotta- The microcirculation improves and with it also the elasticity and regenerative ability of the skin. The fibroblasts, which produce collagen and elastin, return to being active, and the skin appears more firm and compact.
Other advantages to know
From the point of view of aesthetic medicine, a patient who has stopped smoking responds much better to regenerative treatments, such as biostimulants, needling or the use of specific filler. The perioral wrinkles – that is, those around the mouth – can be treated more effectively when there is no toxic agent, such as nicotine, to hinder the work of the skin cells.
Another interesting aspect is the effect that the absence of smoke has on the coloring of the skin: that grayish tone typical of the smokers disappears, and a pinkish and healthy complexion is recovered. The lips also find volume and color, losing that extinguished appearance that cigarettes often cause.
Slowed aging
For those who want to find a younger and more natural appearance- concludes the specialist- stop smoking represents the basis of each effective aesthetic path. There are no magic or shortcuts: the first aesthetic treatment is always the one that starts from within.
Beauty, after all, is a state of visible well -being. And a woman who chooses to breathe clean air is a woman who invests in her well -being and self -care.
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