As if lung cancer, emphysema and heart disease weren’t enough, there’s more bad news for cigarette smokers.
Researchers at the Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine found that smoking also weakens the ability for pulp in teeth to fight illness and disease.
In other words, smokers have fewer defense mechanisms on the inside of their teeth.
“That might explain why smokers have poorer endodontic outcomes and delayed healing than non-smokers,” said Anita Aminoshariae, associate professor of endodontics and director of predoctoral endodontics. “Imagine TNF-α and hBD-2 are among the soldiers in a last line of defense fortifying a castle. Smoking kills these soldiers before they even have a chance at mounting a solid defense.”
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