Teeth and gums

[Never_again]

Well I know it’s early but I am most definitely not going back after all of this healing and pain. My teeth and gums have been in horrible pain. I have to drink warm liquids, eat extremely soft food, use baby teething gel, taking Motrin, and rising with salt water rinse. In all of my attempts at quitting, this is a first. Day 12.. never going back! Have a great smoke free day!

[YoungAtHeart]

I did a search and found this:

Why do my teeth hurt when I quit smoking?

When you quit smoking, it takes only 20 minutes for your heart rate to return to close to normal.

But for many quitting cigarettes, tooth pain and other oral issues can surface unexpectedly — sometimes without a specific timeline for when it’ll end, cause you to ask "why do my teeth hurt when I quit smoking?"

That’s because while smoking, teeth problems are often masked, unlike other side effects, including a racing heartbeat, shortness of breath and coughing — until you decide to quit.

The heat from smoking cigarettes causes damage to your gums and throat, triggering your gums to develop a protective coating on the older tissue. This protective coating is what hides painful side effects in your mouth, which is how you may not know of oral complications until you quit smoking.

Below, we look at how smoking can damage your teeth, what symptoms to look for and advice for overcoming the pain so you can continue to live a cigarette-free life and understand why do my teeth hurt when I quit smoking.

How smoking hurts your teeth

Smoking weakens your immune system, which lessens your mouth’s ability to prevent infections — causing festering bacterial plaque and a higher chance of gum disease.

Festering bacteria on your teeth causes gum inflammation, and when it goes untreated, it can lead to gingivitis. With untreated gingivitis comes periodontal disease, a more severe version of gum disease that can affect the bone structure in your mouth due to a prolonged infection in your gums.  

Periodontal disease can have very severe repercussions due to gum inflammation. In some cases, you can even experience tooth loss because the bacteria are causing the inflamed gums to pull away from your teeth.

The issues don’t end there. Smoking can also cause other oral issues like discoloration, decay and infections.

Symptoms of oral issues caused by smoking

Oral problems involving your teeth after you quit smoking can range from mild to severe, and even the smallest of issues should be indicators to practice a better oral hygiene regimen. Symptoms can include sensitivity, painful chewing, swollen gums and, in most cases, bleeding gums.

Many smokers don’t experience bleeding gums because of poor blood circulation. So, when you quit smoking, blood circulation improves in your gums, sometimes causing frequent bleeding — but this shouldn’t be an indication not to quit. It’s quite the opposite. If you experience bleeding, find a dentist to inquire about gum treatments.

I hope a visit to your dentist can provide treatment and some relief!

Nancy

[Barbscloud]

@Never_again Hope you get some relief from your  pain.   Maybe a trip to the dentist is warranted.

Barb

[MauriceOrr]

Really after you quit? All of that?