This is getting down to it. But we all need the reminder. Just hope you’re sitting down. These effects can be seen in users of cigarettes, cigars, and smokeless tobacco:

Brown staining of the teeth
The sticky, brown substance of tar is what causes the stains on smokers' fingers and teeth. Many spit tobacco users also have stained teeth in the area where they hold tobacco in their mouth.

Bad breath (scientific name, halitosis, which sounds even worse)
Pipes and cigars have higher sulfur content and produce stronger bad breath. Smoking cigarettes is also related to bad breath.

Black hairy tongue (gross!)
Heavy smoking can cause an overgrowth of the papilla of the tongue surface. This brown growth traps germs and exacerbates bad breath (just what we’ve all been looking for).

Increased severity of gum, periodontal disease (nasty!)
Smokers are seven (7!) times more likely to develop periodontal disease than nonsmokers. Smoking may be responsible for almost 75% of periodontal diseases among adults. Smoking creates an environment in which periodontal-causing bacteria thrive. Smokers have higher levels of periodontal pathogenic bacteria than nonsmokers.
The effect of smoking on periodontal disease increases with the amount smoked.

Gum recession (we’ve got pictures)
Gum recession makes teeth sensitive to cold and touch and more vulnerable to decay. It is usually permanent.

Tooth loss (enough said)
Long-term studies reveal that the majority of tooth loss in 19 to 40 year olds is associated with those who smoke more than 15 cigarettes a day. Male cigarette smokers are nearly twice as likely to need root canal treatment. Using smokeless tobacco induces wrinkled changes in the oral mucosa (snuff dipper’s pouches). These occur beneath the lip and can lead to severe gum recession, bone loss and teeth loss. Damage is permanent.

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