Chewing Tobacco Health Risks

About Chewing Tobacco

Chewing tobacco is just one way in which people use tobacco in a ‘smokeless’ form. The product is also referred to as ‘spit’. It is usually sold as a loose leaf preparation, or in ‘plugs’ or ‘twists’. Chewing tobacco also contains nicotine and other dangerous chemicals, and it is believed to contain approximately 28 carcinogens which have been commonly linked as a cause of death.

Chewing Tobacco: Health Risks Explained

Due to the smoke-free nature of its use, chewing tobacco is often used as a replacement for cigarette smoking. As well as the obvious carcinogenetic nature of the chewing tobacco, health risks also include:

• Addiction – The likelihood of addiction to chewing tobacco is as great as the level of addiction a cigarette smoker would have. It is not uncommon for cigarette smokers to begin using chewing tobacco as an alternative, wrongly assuming it to be healthier. Those with significant addictions use the chewing tobacco against its guidelines and retain the tobacco in their mouths overnight, along with neglecting to spit the juices of the product out.
• Increased risk of tooth decay – As well as nicotine, another constituent of chewing tobacco is sugar. As with any type of sugary product that is taken orally, the risk of tooth decay rises. Those who use chewing tobacco harbour this product in their mouth longer, and it is prone wedging itself in between the teeth, thus making the gums more at risk. Chewing tobacco also has a coarse consistency and is prone to scratching at tooth enamel.
• Oral cancer – The use of chewing tobacco is known to have a direct impact on oral health. Cancers affecting the lips, gums, cheeks, gums and palate are not uncommon.
• Altered taste/smell – Over time, the use of chewing tobacco can significantly affect the sense of smell, as well as the taste buds.
• Risk of heart disease – As with smoking tobacco, chewing tobacco health risks cause a greater risk of heart problems. The user will be at increased risk of high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol levels, both of which preclude heart disease.

Danger Signs

As mentioned above the risk of developing oral cancer following prolonged use of chewing tobacco is something which users need to be aware of. The classic signs are:

• A sore or ulcer around the mouth or on the tongue which takes longer than usual to heal.
• Non-specific lumps (which are not necessarily painful).
• A sore throat not associated with any other symptoms.
• Difficulty chewing or altered/restricted flexibility of the jaw or tongue.

• The presence of a ‘foreign body’ (unexplained object) in the throat, notable on swallowing.

It is crucial that a medical opinion is sought if any of these symptoms appear, no matter how harmless they may appear. If left untreated, oral cancer can spread to other parts of the body, and may result in death.

Getting Help Quitting

For many people the use of chewing tobacco is a naive attempt at stopping the harm that cigarette smoking can cause, when actually it is merely a replacement for the other habit.

The same smoking cessation methods are used to help people stop chewing tobacco as for those who smoke it. When attempting to quit smoking cigarettes, as well as dealing with the nicotine withdrawal, smokers also struggle to cope with not having an actual cigarette to hold at various times of the day. A distraction is required to offer alternative things to do with the hands; this usually comes in the form of an ‘inhalator’ which mimics a cigarette. For those people who are trying to stop using chewing tobacco, it is the chewing mechanism, along with the nicotine addiction which must be dealt with when trying to quit.

There are so many products available to those who wish to quit. For those people attempting to stop using chewing tobacco, the use of a product such as nicotine replacement lozenges or gum is a popular choice. These products offer a suitable distraction to help cope with the absence of chewing mechanism, as well as reduce nicotine cravings.

As with any attempt to ‘kick the habit’, it is advisable to embark on the mission when you feel 100 percent ready. If your attempt to stop is motivated solely by the wishes of others, then your mission will be more likely to fail.