Today most adults recognize that every form of tobacco use is a threat to our health, and we make informed decisions whether to smoke or not. Smoking causes diseases that can damage the heart, lungs and many other organs in the body. It’s the number one preventable cause of death in the U.S., killing over 490,000 a year and causing an additional 19,000 deaths a year from secondhand smoke, the American Lung Association says.
But not everyone understands the long-term implications of smoking. As I watch my grandchildren develop and imagine the choices they’ll face as they grow, I’m especially concerned for adolescents. Tobacco and vaping companies market their products using tactics designed to glamorize their merchandise and appeal to a younger demographic. However, all of them contain high levels of nicotine, a highly addictive chemical.
Every year on May 31, World No Tobacco Day, The World Health Organization (WHO) asks governments, health organizations and other global partners to end the epidemic use of tobacco by strengthening regulations and closing policy gaps. This year’s theme is Unmasking the appeal—countering nicotine and tobacco addiction. WHO offers data reflecting the scale of the global tobacco use crisis, if you’re interested.
In the U.S., every day more than 1,200 kids under 18 try their first cigarette and 60 kids become new, regular smokers according to the American Lung Association. It shares the sobering results of the 2024 National Youth Tobacco Survey showing that about 10.1% of high school students and 5.4% of middle school students use at least one tobacco product.
Does the use of tobacco and electronic nicotine delivery systems damage oral health? According to the American Dental Association, there is no safe form of tobacco. Smokeless tobacco has been linked with gum disease that can lead to tooth loss and tissue and bone loss around the roots of the teeth, the same issues caused by smoking.
Habits that children establish early in life, whether good or bad, tend to have far-reaching consequences and can last a lifetime. With that in mind, we created oral health challenges in partnership with the Portland Sea Dogs, the New Hampshire Fisher Cats and the Vermont Lake Monsters to encourage kids to take care of their teeth and gums in return for free tickets to an upcoming game. It’s a good reminder for their parents to support them in these efforts, too. You can find details of each program on Nedelta.com on the Oral Health Challenge page. Modeling good self-care habits, teaching our children and grandchildren how to care for their teeth and gums at home, and making sure they see a dentist regularly helps them to have a lifetime of healthy smiles.
Let’s also model saying no to products containing nicotine and suggest ways that our kids and grandkids can resist peer and marketing pressures to use them. It’s easier to avoid an addiction than to recover from one. After May 30, you can to listen to me interviewing a local expert on the dangers of using tobacco and other products containing nicotine on Delta Dental Radio.
