Teens & Tobacco: Know the Risks

Today, Dr. Webb & Dr. Awtrey at Abilene Family Dentistry want to give teens the bottom line about tobacco use: there is no such thing as a “safe” or “safer” tobacco product. Every tobacco product contains nicotine in varying amounts, and not only is nicotine addictive, but it can also harm the brain. (Many people don’t realize the brain continues developing until the mid-20s or even early-30s.)

• Cigarettes are usually made of tobacco and chemical additives in a paper casing. Inhaled smoke from a lit cigarette contains more than 7,000 harmful chemicals; at least 70 of them are linked to cancer. Smoking cigarettes damages almost every organ of the body and leads to diseases like oral cancer, lung cancer, heart disease, and stroke.
• The “vaping” of e-cigarettes has become increasingly popular in recent years. These devices heat liquid into an aerosol that the user then inhales. Many believe this aerosol is innocuous, but it contains many chemicals that are unsafe to breathe. Most e-cigarettes also contain nicotine.
• Smokeless tobacco is tobacco that is not burned and includes chewing, oral, and spitting tobacco, dip, chew, and snuff. Smokeless tobacco has high levels of toxic chemicals, and users are at high risk of oral cancer.

Oral cancer is one of the fastest-growing cancers worldwide, and Abilene Family Dentistry wants all its young patients to enjoy long, healthy lives. Get in touch with Abilene Family Dentistry with any questions about tobacco use and oral health today.

The content of this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.