Tobacco Facts
- The nicotine found in cigarettes and in smokeless tobacco is a powerful,
addictive drug that acts on several parts of the body. Once addicted, it
becomes difficult, but not impossible, to quit using smokeless tobacco or to
stop smoking.
- The use of tobacco products is not only addicting, but is directly related
to a number of health problems and diseases. A few of the oral health problems
smokers or smokeless tobacco users can develop are
bad breath |
brown, stained teeth |
ground-down teeth |
black hairy tongue |
gum disease and loss of teeth |
receding gums |
cancers of the cheek, esophagus, lip, palate and
tongue |
- Some of the harmful ingredients found in tobacco are
arsenic |
formaldehyde |
dirt |
fertilizer |
soot |
pesticides |
cyanide |
manure |
nicotine |
dead bugs |
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- At least 19 different types of cancer-causing substances, called
nitrosamines, are found in tobacco products.
- Oral cancer is serious. When it spreads to the lymph nodes in the neck, it
is often deadly.
- Smokeless tobacco is not a harmless alternative to smoking. It is just as
hazardous to your health as cigarettes. Protect your health; avoid all tobacco
products.
- The risk of developing lung cancer is 10 times greater for smokers than
for non- smokers. Also, breathing second-hand smoke (someone elses smoke)
can be as dangerous as smoking.
- Once you stop using tobacco products, your blood pressure, pulse rate and
skin temperature will return to normal within 20 minutes. Within eight hours,
high levels of carbon monoxide in your blood will return to normal and, within
a few weeks, your circulation will improve, your sense of taste and smell will
improve, and you will have fewer colds and more energy. It is never too late
to stop!
For more information, contact
Illinois Department of Public Health, Division of Oral Health
535 W. Jefferson St., Springfield, IL 62761
217-785-4899, TTY (hearing impaired use only) 800-547-0466
NOTE: This fact sheet was derived from one previously published by the
Arizona Department of Health Services.
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