Second Hand Smoke May Lead to More Frequent Visits to Your Sugar Land Pediatric Dentist
Warnings about health conditions caused by smoking are not new, but a recent study conducted in Japan has given smokers a new reason to quit. As your Sugar Land pediatric dentist, we encourage all smokers to think about the health of those around them to determine if it is time to quit.
New Side Effect of Smoking
The Japanese study followed children born between 2004-2010 who live with smokers in their homes, and determined that these children are 50% more likely to develop cavities than those who do not live with smokers. Even when their caregivers were not smoking around them, the nearly 77,000 children involved in the study were at an increased risk for cavities.The final outcome of the survey showed that second hand smoke affects children’s smiles in the following ways:
- Agitation of the oral membrane
- Damage to the salivary gland
- Decreases amount of vitamin C serum
- Influences dysfunction of the immune system
Sugar Land Pediatric Dentist Gives Smokers Another Reason to Quit
The best pediatric dentist is the one who alerts you to all factors that can increase the risk of cavities for your children. At Sweetpea Smiles, we take pride on the fact that our Sugar Land pediatric dentist stays up to date on current trends and health topics that influence the outcome of your child’s dental check ups. The latest Japanese study is just another piece of evidence that the effects of secondhand smoke are dangerous for children.While this study is not the first conducted on the topic, the outcome may have been influenced by a number of factors including the lack of fluoride in Japan’s drinking water, and less sugar content in the diets of the children studied compared to the average American child’s diet. Nevertheless, the US Surgeon General still warns that secondhand smoke may be associated with kids’ tooth decay.For more information on how secondhand smoke can affect your child’s smile, contact our Sugar Land pediatric dentist today!