Yuck! You put that in your mouth?!

Smoking affects these parts of your mouth:
A. Lips.

B. The floor of the mouth, under tongue.

C. The tongue.

D. The palate.

E. The root of the tongue.

Smoking causes oral cancer.
Smoking is dangerous for your teeth and gums. The teeth may fall out, as smoking can cause periodontal disease. Smoking delays the healing of wounds, and stains the teeth, gums and fillings. The worst consequence is the increased risk of mouth cancer.

Periodontal disease is a condition where the tissues that support the teeth - the gums and the bone - slowly deteriorate, and the teeth become loose and finally fall out. Anyone can suffer from periodontal disease, but smoking increases the risk. Heavy smokers are six times more likely to suffer from periodontal disease than non-smokers.

The risk of contracting periodontal disease depends on how much you smoke. If you smoke 30 cigarettes a day, you are six times more likely to contract periodontal disease than a non-smoker.

If you smoke 10 cigarettes a day or less, the risk is still three times higher than for a non-smoker.

If you smoke, the risk of contracting cancer of the mouth is four times higher than for a non-smoker.