How does smoking affect the mouth?

Smoking can:

• Increase your risk of developing severe gum disease, called periodontitis

• Increase your risk of mouth or throat cancer

• Cause bad breath

• Stain teeth and turn them yellow

• Cause sores inside the mouth to heal slowly

• Change how you taste foods and drinks

• Cause your body to make less saliva making the mouth dry

Quitting smoking can improve the health of the mouth, even if you have smoked for many years. It is never too late to quit.

1 Talk to someone who can help. Call Quitline on 13 QUIT (13 78 48).

2 Make a quit plan. Free online tools, include QuitCoach and iCanQuit.

3 Know what triggers you to want to smoke.

4 Manage your cravings and withdrawals.

5 Chat with your doctor or pharmacist about nicotine patches, gum and medications that can help you to stop smoking.

6 Stay motivated with a support program. This may be a face-to-face or online program, or a phone app.

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For more information, go to teeth.org.au/smoking-and-vaping

Vaping is not recommended as a way of quitting tobacco smoking.