Canadian Dental Association: Your Oral Health

Smokeless Tobacco

Also known as "snuff", "spit" or chewing tobacco, smokeless tobacco is held in the mouth between the teeth and cheek. Users spit out a black, tarry substance that forms when the tobacco combines with saliva. It is absorbed rapidly into the bloodstream through the lining of the mouth making it more addictive than smoking cigarettes.

Users of chewing tobacco suffer permanent gum and bone loss, unlike users of smoking tobacco who usually recover the loss after quitting. Smokeless tobacco is associated with professional sports but has increased in popularity, particularly among teenagers.

Side Effects

Nicotine addiction - chewing an average amount for 30 minutes is like smoking four cigarettes
Reduced sense of smell and taste
Bad breath, stained teeth; recession of the gum line and changes in the colour and texture of mouth tissue
Accumulation of tartar (calculus) and plaque
Ulcers, upset stomach and increased bowel activity
Increased sensitivity to hot and cold
Delayed healing after dental work
Increased heart rate

Risks

Periodontitis

Oral, pharyngeal (throat) and stomach cancer
Cancers of the lungs and/or other parts of the body
Heart disease; stroke; high blood pressure
Chronic bronchitis, emphysema
Periodontitis and tooth decay
Premature aging
Mouth sores or lesions that do not heal (tobacco-pouch keratosis)

How to Quit

It is easier to quit smoking than to stop using chewing tobacco, but new tools are available to make it easier to be nicotine-free.

Talk to your dentist and your doctor about developing a strategy to quit
Have your dentist screen you for early signs of oral cancer and periodontal disease
Anticipate triggers to using chewing tobacco and prepare strategies to avoid them.
Reward yourself for reaching small goals — go out for dinner or buy yourself a gift
Chew sugarless gum and drink water when cravings hit
Incorporate exercise into your weekly routine
To help prevent or reverse the risks, eat a healthy diet with lots of fruits and vegetables

Before: 37-year-old heavy smoker with a heavy build up of dental calculus, stains, and severely offensive tobacco breath.

After: After quitting and a thorough cleaning, this smoker's teeth were restored to their original whiteness. Failure to remain tobacco-free will cause the staining to recur in weeks.

Photos provided by Dr. Arden Christen, Indiana University School of Dentistry, Department of Oral Biology.