Q: Is there anything a tobacco user can do, other than quitting smoking, to prevent gum disease?
A: Quit, quit, quit! We recognize human nature, but nothing can replace quitting smoking. If you can’t quit, cutting back is helpful. Numerous studies have shown a direct correlation between tobacco use and periodontal disease. Clinically, we see it all the time. Chewing tobacco is even worse. There are documented reports of baseball players who chew tobacco and have pre-cancerous or oral cancer lesions removed.
