Hookah smoking is also known as waterpipe smoking. It has taken off like wildfire all over, including in Toluca Lake. Most people think that hookah smoking is safer than cigarettes smoke but it is not true. A commonly neglected but significant side effect of hookah smoking is the development of dry mouth, or xerostomia. This blog post investigates the reasons for dry mouth with hookah smoking and its effects leading to poor oral health as explained by a Toluca Lake dentist.
What is Hookah Smoking?
Hookah is the practice of smoking flavored tobacco that passes through water and into your lungs. The water serves only to trap large particulates, and a session typically lasts an hour or more with regular exposure to smoke and toxins.
What is Dry Mouth?
Dry mouth happens when the production of saliva drops significantly low! Saliva has an essential effect on the health of your mouth by:
- Lubricating the mouth
- Aiding in digestion
- To neutralize the acids created by bacteria
- Washing away food particles
- Delivering Oral agents to fight disease throughout the mouth
Causes of Dry Mouth from Hookah Smoking
1. Nicotine
Saliva contains enzymes that break down toxins, the absence of which can perpetuate serious lung diseases found to be high among hookah smokers. Nicotine is a key player in all this and happens to hamper saliva production before you even know it’s happening.
2. Heat and Smoke
Hot smoke during hookah sessions can dehydrate oral tissues. Smoking can cause dehydration of the mucous membranes in the mouth since supportive glands fail to produce enough saliva to keep your air passage moist on account of the warm, dry smoke being sucked down.
3. Toxins in Smoke
The toxins and chemicals present in hookah smoke can affect the salivary glands. Substances can upset the natural gland working and cause inadequate amounts of saliva to be made.
4. Frequency and Duration of Use
You are increasingly exposed to dry mouth-inducing agents as you smoke hookah more and more. Moreover, while the shorter-term impacts of smoking on salivary function are likely to reverse after a few days when smokers stop using tobacco products, hookah sessions last an hour or more making these long-term effects more pronounced.
Consequences of Dry Mouth
1. Tooth Decay and Cavities
Saliva and toothpaste have always played an important function as the teeth defensive mechanism against caries. It goes on to as a neutralizer of acids and food particles. Without saliva, the danger to teeth increases with more time acids and bacteria are in contact with them, which puts oral health at risk of tooth decay or cavities.
2. Gum Disease
Dry mouth can lead to gingivitis and periodontal disease. Cleaning: saliva plays an important role in keeping the gums clean by washing away live bacteria and taking it out of your mouth. If not enough saliva is made, plaque and bacteria build up near the edge of your gums causing them to become red or infected.
3. Bad Breath
It cleanses the mouth and removes odor-causing particles. When saliva production is low, these particles are not flushed out and they instead fester in the mouth causing bad breath to linger known as halitosis.
4. Speaking and swallowing issues
Saliva moistens your mouth making it easier to speak and swallow. A dry mouth can make these basic everyday tasks challenging and extremely unpleasant.
Dry mouth is one of a few oral health risks associated with hookah smoking that are not intuitive to users despite the social nature of this activity. Decreased saliva production can result in a myriad of oral health problems like tooth decay, gum disease, and infections that cause bad breath. However, for the people of Toluca Lake — they need to remain aware and vigilant. Hydrating properly, brushing regularly, and seeing the dentist at least every 6 months can help offset the harmful impacts of hookah smoking on oral health.
