Short Term Effects | Long Term Effects
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· Staining of the teeth
· Dragon's breath (halitosis)
· Worn teeth
· Red & inflamed gums (gingivitis)
· Receding gums leading to tooth loss (gum/periodontal disease)
· Tooth decay
· Frequent sores |
· Leukoplakia (white, leathery patch that forms in the mouth - precancerous)
· Unhealthy eating habits (decreased sense of taste & smell - eat more salty and sugary foods)
· Nicotine addiction!
· Expensive: 1 tin of snuff = more than $5 (at 1 tin per day, that's more than $150 a month!)
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Smokeless tobacco is extremely irritating to the mucous membranes in the mouth. The damage is made worse by the fact that the tobacco product is held in one area of the mouth for prolonged periods of time. When the skin cells divide and multiply, they are exposed to the carcinogenic chemicals. An individual's risk of developing an oral cancer is 50 times greater than that of non-users.
Oral cancers are quite aggressive and spread quickly. The surgery used to treat and hopefully cure an oral cancer may involve the removal of parts of the jaw, cheek, lip or tongue. Those that survive are often disfigured with challenges to overcome with speech and eating. Oral cancers can result from as little as a 6 year habit. The length of time and the amount used increases one's individual risk.
· Cancers of the cheek and lip
· Cancer of the pharynx (tendency to swallow some tobacco juice)
· Cancer of the tongue
· Cancer of the larynx
· Cancer of the esophagus
· Cancer of the urinary bladder (chemicals in tobacco eventually end up in urine)
· High blood pressure (vasoconstriction of arteries)
· Heart disease (increased workload on heart)
· Stroke (nicotine weakens the delicate lining of the blood vessels)
· Atherosclerosis (high cholesterol levels - plaque formation)
For more information visit:
Quit Smokeless
National Spit Tobacco Education Program
National Institute of Dental and Cranialfacial Research