Tobacco Use
Overview
- Cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, and other forms of tobacco cause oral cancer, gum disease, and other oral health problems.1
- Untreated tooth decay is higher in people who smoke cigarettes. Over 40% of adults aged 20 to 64 who currently smoke cigarettes have untreated tooth decay.2
- Adults aged 65 or older who smoke cigarettes are twice as likely to have untreated tooth decay as those who never smoked.2
- About 43% of adults aged 65 or older who currently smoke cigarettes have lost all of their teeth.2
- Use of smokeless tobacco is associated with increased risks of oral cancer and can cause white or gray patches inside the mouth (e.g., oral leukoplakia).3
- Health care providers in a variety of settings play a critical role in helping people quit using tobacco.
Featured Tobacco Use Infographics
References
- Winn DM. Tobacco use and oral disease. Journal of Dental Education 2001;65:306-312.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Oral Health Surveillance Report: Trends in Dental Caries and Sealants, Tooth Retention, and Edentulism, United States, 1999–2004 to 2011–2016. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, US Dept of Health and Human Services; 2019.
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Oral Health in America: A Report of the Surgeon General. Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health, 2000.