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TOBACCO FACTS
- The nicotine found in cigarettes and in
smokeless tobacco is a powerful, addictive drug that acts on several parts of
the body. Once addicted, it becomes difficult, but not impossible, to quit
using smokeless tobacco or to stop smoking.
- The use of tobacco products is not only
addicting, but is directly related to a number of health problems and diseases.
A few of the oral health problems smokers or smokeless tobacco users can
develop are —
bad breath |
brown, stained teeth |
ground-down teeth |
black hairy tongue |
gum disease and loss of
teeth |
receding gums |
cancers of the
cheek, esophagus, lip, palate and tongue |
- Some of the harmful ingredients found in
tobacco are —
arsenic |
formaldehyde |
dirt |
fertilizer |
soot |
pesticides |
cyanide |
manure |
nicotine |
dead bugs |
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- At least 19 different types of cancer-causing
substances, called nitrosamines, are found in tobacco products.
- Oral cancer is serious. When it spreads to
the lymph nodes in the neck, it is often deadly.
- Smokeless tobacco is not a harmless
alternative to smoking. It is just as hazardous to your health as cigarettes.
Protect your health; avoid all tobacco products.
- The risk of developing lung cancer is 10
times greater for smokers than for non- smokers. Also, breathing second-hand
smoke (someone else’s smoke) can be as dangerous as smoking.
- Once you stop using tobacco products, your
blood pressure, pulse rate and skin temperature will return to normal within 20
minutes. Within eight hours, high levels of carbon monoxide in your blood will
return to normal and, within a few weeks, your circulation will improve, your
sense of taste and smell will improve, and you will have fewer colds and more
energy. It is never too late to stop!
For more information, contact
Illinois Department of Public Health,
Division of Oral Health
535 W. Jefferson St., Springfield, IL 62761
217-785-4899, TTY (hearing impaired use only) 800-547-0466
NOTE: This fact sheet was derived from one
previously published by the Arizona Department of Health Services.
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