Smoking has a profound effect on periodontal disease—its development and progression. It is also a major risk factor for oral cancer, inhibits your body’s autoimmune defenses and increases inflammatory reactivity. Smokers are at least twice more likely to have periodontal disease and suffer from an increase in bone loss and subsequent tooth loss.
Smoking will impede the healing of oral tissues, making periodontal procedures less effective and predictable.
Furthermore, as nicotine and other chemicals in cigarettes (or other smoking delivery systems such as e-cigarettes) cause vasoconstriction (the tightening of blood vessels which decreases blood flow reaching oral tissues) it also hides symptoms and signs of periodontal disease such as bleeding. Do not be fooled by the clever marketing of e-cigarettes - studies have shown that these are harmful to your oral and overall health.
If you are thinking about smoking cessation or are ready to give it up once and for all, we would love to help and encourage you! Here is some help to get you started from people who have conquered this in the past cdc.gov/tobacco/campaign/tips/index.html.