Dental researchers at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK, observed a group of cigarette smokers with chronic gum disease over one year and found some symptoms were more likely to improve in the people who quit during the study period.
Chronic gum disease, which is characterised by inflamed gums that increasingly recede from the teeth, can lead to tooth loss in its advanced stages if preventive action is not taken.
The researchers’ findings, revealed today in the academic publication, the Journal of Clinical Periodontology, therefore provide yet another reason for smokers worldwide to quit their habit for the good of their health.
Statistics show that smokers are still up to six times more likely to develop gum disease than non-smokers, because the detrimental effect the habit has on their body’s immune system makes them less well-equipped to fight back.
