Tobacco companies are marketing smokeless tobacco as an alternative to smoking, but it still poses health risks. Chewing tobacco can stain teeth, cause bad breath, damage teeth and gums, and lead to leukoplakia and cancer. It also creates a physical dependence on nicotine. It’s better to never start than to try to quit.
With the increase in laws banning smoking in many public forums, tobacco companies have begun marketing chewing tobacco and other forms of smokeless tobacco as an alternative. Some companies have even changed their marketing to suggest that smokeless tobacco is a fantastic way to end smoking addiction, but this doesn’t eliminate cancer risk entirely, nor is it safe from a variety of perspectives. Tobacco is still a substance that can pose health risks and there are many effects of chewing tobacco that people should be aware of.
Initially, some of the less pleasant effects of chewing tobacco may include its ability to stain teeth significantly more than smoking. This is because holding a wad or plug of tobacco in your mouth allows the color of the tobacco to surround your teeth for much longer periods of time than with a cigarette. Like smoking, chewing tobacco will also give bad breath to most users, and some people who use chewing tobacco for the first time or two may experience an upset stomach.
Damage to the mouth, teeth and gums are some effects of chewing tobacco. Even before cancer is considered, regular tobacco use can have some negative effects on oral health. Some risks involved include tooth wear, gum setback, and tooth loss. Tobacco can accelerate various forms of gum disease, which can make tooth loss more likely.
Many people who regularly chew tobacco may notice one of the more dangerous effects of chewing tobacco. This is the formation of white patches on the mouth and tongue called leukoplakia. In some cases leukoplakia is a pre-indicator of oral cancer. These spots are often found in the areas of the mouth where people keep the wad of tobacco they are chewing, and are definitely a sign that it is time to quit. Ultimately, leukoplakia can turn into cancer, although it can also be a benign sign. This possibility is high when tobacco use is involved.
While side effects don’t include lung cancer, they do include the risk of mouth and throat cancer. They can also increase the risk of pancreatic and stomach cancer. Although people spit out most of the “juices” of tobacco, some are ingested, sending some of the more dangerous elements of the substance to the intestinal tract.
Another primary effect of chewing tobacco is addiction. Because smokeless tobacco still contains nicotine, regular use for a few weeks is likely to create a physical dependence on nicotine. Using for a couple of months could make it very difficult to stop chewing tobacco or using things like snuff. Given the overall health risks associated with using this substance, it’s far better to never start than to try to quit.
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