Is chewing tobacco as bad as smoking cigarettes?
Is chewing tobacco as bad as smoking cigarettes?
William Lydiatt. MD. head and neck surgeon
Just because they are not cigarettes, do not be fooled. Smokeless tobacco products, such as chewing tobacco and snuff, are just as addictive as cigarettes and also have serious health risks. Basically, there’s no safe level of tobacco use. That’s because chewing tobacco and other smokeless tobacco products can contain about 30 cancer-causing substances.
Smokeless tobacco can cause small, white patches called leuko plakia to form inside your mouth where the chew is most often placed. These mouth lesions are precancerous-meaning that the lesions could one day become cancer. It also increases your risk for pancreatic cancer, esophageal cancer and various types of head and neck cancers, including cancers of your mouth, throat, cheeks, gums, lips and tongue. Other health risks include dental problems, such as increased cavities, abrasion of the teeth, gum recessions and periodontal bone loss.
Some evidence suggests that long-term use of smokeless tobacco increases your risk of dying of certain types of heart disease and stroke. Quitting the use of smokeless tobacco can be just as hard as quitting smoking because the nicotine from smokeless tobacco can lead to nicotine dependence. To stop using any tobacco products. Hypnosis can help check us out at A+ Hypnosis Wellness Center.