The Oral Dangers of Smokeless Tobacco are Misunderstood and Underestimated:

Despite what many advertisements for chewing tobacco say, smokeless tobacco is not in fact better for you than cigarettes. Dippers basically trade the lung cancer risks of smoking for the oral cancer risks of chewing tobacco. Not only do dippers have a 50% higher oral cancer rate than everyone else, they are also at a high risk for other oral health problems. Most dippers don’t even know the early signs of oral cancer.

Tooth Decay:

Although most people don’t realize it, chewing tobacco contains sugar. When you dip, you are essentially walking around with sugar in your mouth all day, increasing your chances of tooth decay and cavities. Brushing and flossing can help prevent some decay, but it’s almost impossible to get the teeth completely clean when they are surrounded by sugar all day long.

Another ingredient in dip is grit, as in dirt. When you chew, the grit wears away at your tooth enamel. Since tooth enamel can’t be regenerated, this damage is permanent and, after a long time of chewing dip, can result in the softer, sensitive parts of your teeth becoming exposed. This exposure leads to serious problems with tooth pain and decay.
Gum recession

Smokeless tobacco has negative effects on more than just your teeth. Your gums will wear away at the place in your mouth where you tend to hold your chewing tobacco, and this can worsen your tooth decay because it exposes more of the tooth to the sugar and grit in the dip.

Sores and Lesions:

Damage to the soft lining of the mouth is difficult to repair. Sores and lesions are a frequent type of mouth damage in dip users, because the body is reacting to the constant presence of smokeless tobacco in the mouth. These abrasions can be an early sign of oral cancer, so it is important to see a dentist immediately even if you are embarrassed by the state of your discolored teeth and bad breath. Continuing to use chewing tobacco while you have a sore in your mouth is dangerous because the toxins in the dip have more direct access to your blood stream and will only make the sore or lesion worse.

What You Can Do:

The sooner you address your tooth decay or other problems in your mouth, the less these problems will cost you and the healthier you will be. Going to a dentist is the first step to taking care of your oral health, but for a permanent solution it is a good idea to quit dipping entirely. If you quit chewing tobacco, you can be confident that the state of your teeth, gums, and mouth won’t worsen. Once you stop damaging your mouth and quit smokeless tobacco, your finances and your health will be in much better condition.