It is a common misconception that smokeless tobacco products (like dip or chewing tobacco) are safer than smoking cigarettes. Smokeless tobacco is not any safer than cigarettes. Recent research shows that your chances for oral cancerincrease 400% for users of smokeless tobacco over non-users. The OFC (Oral Cancer Foundation) reports that 75% of oral cancers are tied to tobacco use including cigarettes, pipes, cigars and smokeless chewing tobacco. In addition to oral cancer, tobacco use is a large contributor to gum disease. If you smoke or use smokeless tobacco, it is important to have your dentist check for any irregularities in your oral cavity during your regular detn
It is the nicotine in tobacco that is highly addictive. Nicotine in any form is not only addictive but using it presents serious health risks. There is a new dissolvable smokeless tobacco product that comes packaged in pellet form. This “breath-mint” type pellet is made of ground tobacco, mint and cinnamon. This product can easily be mistaken as candy to the unsuspecting child or unsupervised teen. Nicotine addictions are just as real with this pellet product as any other tobacco product. Because of its candy like flavor, accidental nicotine poisoning is possible. The dissolvable tobacco products pose as much of a health threat as cigarettes, tobacco is never a harmless drug.
There is reason for concern with this new tobacco product because children and teens can use the pellets in public without a teacher or parent realizing what is being consumed. This new dissolvable tobacco has no trace of tobacco odor. Currently being test marketed are two other dissolvable products, tobacco sticks that are shaped like a toothpick and dissolvable tobacco strips that are similar to breath-freshening strips. These dissolvable products contain significant amounts of tobacco and nicotine making them just as dangerous as cigarettes and smokeless tobacco. You can help protect your oral health and general health by avoiding tobacco products, smokeless or any other.
