There is a belief in some areas that good oral hygiene can offset the destructive effects of spit tobacco. That belief could not be farther from the truth. According to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, a government agency dealing with oral health, “there is no evidence that brushing and flossing will undo the harm that dip and chew are doing to your teeth and gums.”
Spit tobacco can be in many different forms. It may be in powder form such as snuff. It could be “chew” tobacco in a leaf form, loose or twisted, dry, or moist. But whatever the name, it is still tobacco.
The tobacco industry prefers to call it smokeless tobacco. The name gives lulls you into the feeling that this type of tobacco consumption is not as bad as cigarettes or other types of tobacco smoking materials. Do not be fooled. This type of tobacco can be devastating to not only your dental hygiene but also your health in general.
Consider some of the things that spit tobacco can cause.
Cancer of the mouth tops the list as the most dangerous of the effects. It is no respecter of age. This self-induced disease attacks the young as well as the old.
The U.S. Surgeon General, C. Everett Koop, M.D., in 1986 declared that “smokeless tobacco represents a significant health risk. It is not a safe substitute for smoking cigarettes. It can cause cancer”
Since those that chew or dip leave the tobacco in their mouth for extended periods of time, usually in the same place, this can cause the gums to pull away from the tooth in that area. When the gums pull away from the tooth, sensitive tooth roots are exposed providing access to the root for any number of problems; sensitivity, decay, and infection just to name a few.
Another of those problems is the side effect of the sugar contained in spit tobacco. The longer sugar remains in the mouth the more damage it will do. The extended periods that spit tobacco remains in the mouth provide a perfect opportunity for the sugars to work on the tooth root, causing massive tooth decay.
Many sports figures, as positive influences on youth, are speaking out against spit tobacco. Torii Hunter, Minnesota Twins American League winner of the Gold Glove award, six years in a row has come out strong against spit tobacco. Olympic gold medal winners, Picabo Street (alpine skiing), and Dominique Dawes (gymnastics) have lent the weight of their names to the campaign against spit tobacco along with the mega-star Jackie Chan.
Spit tobacco does cause harm, sometimes deadly, to whoever may use it. No matter how much we brush or floss; the effects cannot be overcome unless the habit is stopped.
