Smokers Have More Dental Problems But See Dentist Less Often: Report

ATLANTA -- Smokers not only have more problems with their teeth than non-smokers, they also go to the dentist less often.

Those are the findings of a new government survey, released Tuesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC looked at 2008 survey responses from more than 16,000 adults ages 18 through 64.

More than a third of smokers reported having three or more dental problems, ranging from stained teeth to jaw pain, toothaches or infected gums. That was more than twice as much as people who never smoked.

But 20 percent of the smokers said they had not been to a dentist in at least five years. Only 10 percent of non-smokers and former smokers had stayed away that long, the study found.

Smokers seem to be aware their dental health is worse "but they're not doing anything about it," said Robin Cohen, a CDC statistician who co-authored the new report.

Why not? Half of the smokers said they could not afford to see a dentist, a much higher proportion than non-smoking adults who didn't go.

The report did not provide data on income or health insurance. But another CDC survey found smoking rates are higher among those with low incomes – nearly 30 percent of Americans with incomes below the federal poverty level say they are current smokers, while fewer than 19 percent of people with higher incomes are smokers.

A 2000 Surgeon General's report found that smoking can lead to poorer dental health by, for example, impairing the body's ability to fight off infections in the mouth. Tobacco use has also been associated with oral cancers.

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Comments

[Sara from Store Hours]

02:30 AM on 05/30/2012

Secondhand smoke even for a few hours a day can double the risk of gum disease. I found some detail about it on http://www.freedentistfinder.com/blog/2012/05/17/secondhand-smoke-increases-risk-of-gum-disease/. Nice suggestion Eletta M. Hansen, Thanks for nice post & video.

[Gary Moscowitz]

11:13 PM on 02/08/2012

Dentistry can be expensive, but of all the disciplines in dentistry, Prevention is by far the cheapest. You can "pay me now or pay me later" as the mechanic once said to a car owner who was reluctant to change the oil in his car on a regular basis. The other main reason is that medical problems can easily get in the way of being able to perform at work. Medical illnesses definitely interfere with daily routines. Dental problems as a whole, do not have the same effect in the short term but can have devastating effects in the long run. People are more apt to react to the immediacy of a problem rather than the possibility of a problem later on. Finally, there is the fear factor. Modern dentistry, though not totally painless, has come a long ways from the days of "Painless Parker" who spent entire days pulling teeth at the local fair for 25 cents a tooth. The anesthetic? A shot of whiskey. Otherwise intelligent people, even smokers, stay away, simply out of fear. The reality is that for many of these procrastinators the sum total of their dental visits are of an emergency and most often painful nature. Kind of a self-fulfilling prophecy wouldn't you say?

[Gary Moscowitz]

11:12 PM on 02/08/2012

As a practicing dentist I have to agree with the article with regards to smokers, as a group, seeking less dental care than non-smokers. But the reasons are probably not as simplistic as those stated. Smokers know the harm that smoking can do and yet they still smoke. This speaks of a lack of concern for one's overall health as well as a lack of motivation. In the population as a whole, dental health care visits lag way behind medical ones. One reason is economic. While most folks have some sort of health care program/insurance the same is far from true with regards to dental care.

[simzillyjp]

03:42 AM on 02/09/2012

I smoke. In the ten years I had NOT been to the Dentist...I had ONE tooth that needed to be pulled. The Dentist told me he was suprised that I have great teeth & nice pink gums. (after all those years) Perhaps if people brushed & used mouthwash more........

[belldn3]

07:57 PM on 02/08/2012

Anyone from or currently living, in the South?

[sleepingdogg]

06:22 PM on 02/08/2012

smokers? yeah guess that makes sense. i would have thought it was mountain dew and other soda drinkers. oh, and meth heads, meth mouth, grosss.

[Happy Kine]

04:14 PM on 02/08/2012

i quit a few years back and still dream about it every night. Tough monkey to beat. Good luck to those that are hooked and good luck to those with kids to keep them off them. ( It seems to me as though it's young girls smoking these days, it may be a weight control thing, like crank can start out to be.0

[squiddypie8]

03:50 PM on 02/08/2012

I think, know, the homeless have got the smokers beat.

[Happy Kine]

04:06 PM on 02/08/2012

i don't kiss many of either, but i bow to your expertise.

[squiddypie8]

04:19 PM on 02/08/2012

What?! Lmao!

[Maliek Ball]

03:10 PM on 02/08/2012

The one person standing up for all smokers in the comments is hilarious. I applaud you. You take care of your teeth and go to the dentist. Unfortunately for smokers, smoking dries out your mouth. Without the saliva your mouth produces, your mouth is not being cleansed. Most people in general don't brush 3 times a day and floss after every meal. Throw smoking into that mix, you get the negative results of this study.

[Randy Walker]

11:21 PM on 02/07/2012

This is no surprise to me. Was it to anyone else? Smoker's teeth are usually dark, nasty looking, and in worse shape. They are usually embarrassed by their teeth and the tend not to go to the dentist as often because they are going to be berated about how nasty their teeth look. So, they just don't go!

[Unca Allen]

02:42 PM on 02/08/2012

I guess the key word is "usually." I've been smoking for 50 years, have white teeth, and no nasty yellow stains on my fingers. I constantly ask if my breath is offensive, (no) which is, I believe, due to my brushing twice a day as well as flossing. I havent had a cavity since I was fifteen. I'd like to see how great your teeth look. Actually, none of my smoking friends have bad teeth, in fact...probably better than the non-smokers on average. This is probably because they have read and heard from the maniacal anti-smoking people how disgusting they are, and are exceitonally aware of their teeth and take better care of them. My grandparents, and parents...all smokers, died with 32 teeth

[squiddypie8]

03:58 PM on 02/08/2012

.........and BBQ-ed lungs. I bet your breath does stink. 50 years smokin eh? You are the model candidate for one of those people who you can smell the charred tar in thier lungs when they breathe near you. Your mouth may not stink, but your expelled air does you can bet on that!!! God you dont even have to be right next to these kind too in order to be exposed to that funk. Keep telling yourself you smell purty. And good for you 50 years and still smoking give this a guy an award somebody!!!

[jpfmtka]

09:52 PM on 02/08/2012

Smoking does not cause decay or cavities. It does , however, contribute to, and exacerbate recession and periodontal disease . "White teeth" are really of little value when one good sneeze sends them sailing across the room.

[FSMbaby]

11:16 PM on 02/07/2012

One of the major reasons smokers avoid the dentist is because their cleanings are no picnic. They always have a lot of tartar and staining so it requires a heavy duty scraping.

[Unca Allen]

02:44 PM on 02/08/2012

"Always?" I don't ever have any tartar. Good brushing habits and dilligent flossing prevents it. I'm a smoker....my dentist always comments on what a "clean mouth" I have.

[FSMbaby]

04:02 PM on 02/08/2012

You're the exception to the rule. Believe me. I was a Dental Hygienist. They aren't all like you.

[liguyusa]

10:51 PM on 02/07/2012

At 8-10 dollars a pack, there is no money left for the dentist. Glad I quit 25 years ago, it's too expensive.

[Unca Allen]

02:45 PM on 02/08/2012

3-5 dollars a pack Exaggeration only makes you a fool.

[cazsue]

03:07 PM on 02/08/2012

Cigarettes OVER $14.40 per pack in New York City, in many states it is 8-10 dollars per pack.

Failure to research and understand there are people in other parts of the country makes you look ...

[liguyusa]

03:08 PM on 02/08/2012

I work at a grocery/liquor store in New York where they are around 9 dollars or more per pack due to state taxes. Cheapest brands are around 7.80 per pack.

[TomMartin]

10:47 PM on 02/07/2012

One reason seems to be the smokers waste so much money on cigarettes, they don't have enough left for the dentist.

[bloomingdedalus]

09:49 PM on 02/07/2012

Yeah, they don't go to the dentist because it's not cheap when you're below the poverty line to go to the dentist. Most people down here don't have health care.

[FSMbaby]

11:14 PM on 02/07/2012

They always have money for their smokes though. Messed up priorities.

[cazsue]

03:11 PM on 02/08/2012

The companies that LIED under oath to Congress when they swore cigs are not addictive, all the while increasing nicotine levels to make them more addictive, they are to blame, not their victims.

Smokers pay cig taxes that are supposed to go to prevention and help for smokers to quit, and states misdirect the money. Those are messed up priorities.

[jpfmtka]

02:21 PM on 02/08/2012

Hello? A cleaning costs about $75.00 , give or take. About the same as 8 packs of smokes.

[senorlou]

09:12 PM on 02/07/2012

I am a former smoker. When you're destroying your lungs and heart, your teeth are an afterthought.

[jpfmtka]

09:49 PM on 02/07/2012

Here is my question... why, oh why, does our government spend tiime and resources researching and reporting on something so obvious? Who in the heck is approving and funding these inane studies. I know, you know, we all know, that smokers are less concerned with health than the non smoking population. Why is this a health news epiphany?

[senorlou]

10:10 PM on 02/07/2012

Some smokers might care more about their teeth. It's good to know what this stuff does to your entire body, since tens of millions of Americans are doing it night and day. I was.

[Unca Allen]

02:50 PM on 02/08/2012

"We all know that smokers are less concerened about their health?" Rilly? Oh really? And how do "we all" know that? Heard it through the grapevine? You know nothing.

[ecotopian]

10:32 PM on 02/07/2012

Don't forget the bladder. Smoking is the leading cause of bladder cancer. I know. I was diagnosed with it. I'm an ex-smoker.

[senorlou]

01:19 AM on 02/08/2012

I hope you're OK. Smoking is a nightmare.

[Unca Allen]

02:51 PM on 02/08/2012

You're an ex smoker because you didn't want to be a dead cancer victim.