HOW SMOKING CAN INFLUENCE ORAL HEALTH, PERIODONTAL DISEASE AND ORAL CANCER

Abstract

The chronic use of tobacco has been considered a risk factor for several oral diseases, among which are oral cancer, periodontal disease, halitosis and stains on the teeth. Tobacco use is considered the leading cause of preventable death worldwide. The main objective of this work is to present the harm caused by tobacco in the oral cavity, evaluate the action of smoking on periodontal tissues, and the development of cancer as it increases the relative risk by seven to ten times compared to a non-smoking individual. It is extremely important to eliminate this practice to improve oral health, guide the patient about the risks of contracting diseases through smoking, through dialogue with the patient and also anti-smoking campaigns. The databases used were Scielo, Virtual Health Library (VHL) and Google Scholar. It was concluded that the prevention of oral cancer is directly related to the awareness of populations about the harm caused by smoking. Every professional should advise their patients to adopt healthy practices and seek diagnosis of injuries for early treatment, helping to control these diseases.