It’s a fact that cigarette smoking has unpleasant effects in your mouth. But does smoking weed make your teeth yellow too? Well, the answer to this is an astounding “YES”. Both weed and tobacco smokers suffer from different mouth problems like worn and yellow teeth, gum discoloration, bad breath and dry mouth. How does this happen? Read on and learn how marijuana affects you.
Marijuana and Your Oral Health
Smoking weed causes dry mouth, which means that you are not producing enough saliva for healthier teeth and gums. When saliva is not properly produced, food particles and bacteria linger in your mouth. Acids in the mouth damage the tooth enamel and eventually cause decay.
The dryness also leads to inflammation of the lips, cheeks and tongue, which can all be very painful. If you need to book an appointment for oral procedures, local anesthesia does not work well with long-time weed users. You may need to stay away from it for a while before undergoing any dental surgery.
How worse is the effect of cannabis?
If it is good news for you, well, let me tell you that the effect of smoking weed is not as bad as the effect seen in people who smoke cigarettes. But this does not mean that you can live with pearly white teeth when using cannabis. It is bad, but not as bad as tobacco, though.
People who have quit smoking have eventually improved the appearance of their teeth compared with those who continue to smoke pot. If the yellowish discoloration is actually due to the chemicals or to the poorer oral hygiene of smokers, this issue still requires further researches to be resolved.
How to avoid teeth and gum problems?
Okay, so, we’re done with your first question, “does smoking weed make your teeth yellow?” Now, let’s go to the solution of keeping your mouth looking healthy. First long-term solution to have white teeth and healthy gums is to stop smoking pot. If you’ve been hooked to it for some time now, quitting is definitely difficult. Weigh the pros and cons and decide today. Take the first step to having a catchy, head-turning smile by saying “no” to marijuana.
If quitting is not an option for you, deal with it by paying more attention to your oral hygiene. Brush your teeth regularly and floss more often. This is to prevent tartar and plaque from building up and worsening the color of your teeth. Try to visit your dentist more often. Professionals recommend that you should have oral prophylaxis or cleaning every six months to avoid the complications of cannabis smoking. It could also be a sign that you need to evaluate your dependency on cannabis.
How do I deal with yellow teeth?
There are different options to make your teeth pearly white even when you are smoking weed. If you wish to try a home remedy, baking soda or a mixture of it with a few drops of hydrogen peroxide may help. If you choose the hydrogen peroxide combination, do not use it for prolonged periods of time as this can cause erosion of the enamel.
Another remedy is to use over-the-counter teeth whitening products. They come in gels, strips or bleaches. They are effective in removing stains caused by smoking. You may want to experiment and observe what works for you best.
Do people know I’m smoking weed by looking at my teeth?
If you are worried about people knowing that you’re into cannabis by simply looking at your teeth, then you are a certified paranoid! People’s teeth come in different looks, and judging pot addiction through it, is not an effective way.
Although,in general, weed users have yellowish teeth and poor oral appearance, not all who have yellow teeth are smokers. Some suffer from discolored teeth because of poor hygiene, genetics and other periodontal diseases.
If this is the case for you, then you have to visit your dentist for treatment and advice.
What are the other health effects of cannabis use?
Various researchers are into establishing the link between pot use with other public health problems like bronchitis, acute cardiovascular diseases, cancer, mental health concerns, and accidents and injuries.
But as of this writing, no direct connection has been made. However, the association of smoking weeds with periodontal disease is getting stronger with more studies coming out. With more evidence on hand, do you still doubt whether smoking weed make your teeth yellow?
Does smoking weed have benefits?
Let’s now take a look at the benefits of smoking weed. Are there, indeed, benefits? Reportedly, yes, there are. These are things you, most probably, want to hear – the good side of cannabis use. Many advocates of marijuana legalization (maybe, you are even one of them) dwell on its health use in managing chronic pain.
There are also reports about its effectiveness against muscle spasm, treating glaucoma, controlling epileptic seizures, potential ability to stop cancer, and slow down Alzheimer’s disease progression. Wow, that’s a lot! (I’m sure that gives you more excuses for using pot). But wait. Until all these claims are extensively proven, many countries still regulate its use, and for that, don’t be too overwhelmed yet.
Conclusion
To sum it all, does smoking weed make your teeth yellow? Well, the answer is “YES”. But there are ways to counter its effect. Nonetheless, while the health benefits and ill effects of smoking pot are still under investigation, only you can decide whether it is good or bad for your body based on your own experience.
