8 Side Effects of Smoking

Smoking damages nearly every organ in the body, triggering a slew of ailments and wreaking havoc on smokers’ overall health—smoking is injurious to health. For you and your loved ones, quitting smoking has both immediate and long-term benefits54.

The side effects of smoking are countless. Eight of these side effects, some of which we have never considered, are listed below:

1 - Effects of Tobacco on Oral Hygiene

Gum disease, tooth loss, and tooth sensitivity are all increased by smoking55. Evidently, cigarette smoking is now widely acknowledged as the leading environmental cause of mouth cancer and periodontitis56. Cigarette smoking promotes periodontitis susceptibility in addition to having widespread systemic consequences. It could also make dental treatment less effective. That is, when a person's gums have been damaged, smoking makes it more difficult for them to heal57.

2 - Effects of Tobacco on Hearing Loss

The blood supply to the inner ear is reduced when you smoke. Smokers are more likely than non-smokers to lose their hearing58.

A study conducted in 2010 revealed that former smokers have considerably higher adjusted chances of hearing loss for both low/mid- and high-frequency hearing loss. Secondhand smokers also enhanced the likelihood of low-frequency hearing damage in never smokers59. Those findings were later corroborated by a study conducted in 201460.

3 - Effects of Tobacco on Vision Loss

Many studies have demonstrated that smoking has negative consequences on the retina, producing color vision problems, visual field deficits, and even blindness61.

The link between smoking and the visual system has been investigated, and it is widely known that various ophthalmologic diseases and ailments, such as cataracts, age-related macular degeneration, retinal ischemia, and non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy, have been linked to smoking62.

4 - Tobacco Effects on Menopause

Several studies have found that smoking has an impact on menopause age63. Based on one study, An analysis revealed a substantial link between cigarette smoking and the age of natural menopause. Menopause was shown to be nearly twice as common in women who were presently smoking compared to women who had never smoked64.

In 2008, a study concluded that there was a rather consistent link between smoking (current and previous) and the onset of menopause at a younger age65. Further studies might be needed to confirm the findings.

5 - Tobacco Effects on Fertility

Researchers have just recently begun to look into the link between smoking and reproductive health66.

Smoking has been proven to have a negative impact on a number of semen analytical parameters. Cigarette smokers had lower semen volumes, sperm counts, and percentage of motile sperm than nonsmokers, according to a cross-sectional study of 2542 healthy men conducted between 1987 and 2004. Furthermore, it was suggested that the connection between sperm concentration and smoking was dose-dependent67.

Female fertility is negatively affected by cigarette smoking and exposure to smoke ingredients, with the most common findings being an increase in follicle mortality and altered hormone output. Human studies have found that quitting smoking can prolong natural menopause and increase ovarian quality68.

6 - Tobacco Effects on Diabetes

Active smokers are more likely than non-smokers to develop type 2 diabetes as a result of smoking. Some health issues associated with type 1 diabetes may be made worse by smoking. Cigarette smoking has been linked to an elevated risk of diabetes mellitus in both men and women, according to several studies69. Smoking has been proven in several experimental trials to have deleterious effects on glucose and lipid metabolism in diabetic and non-diabetic patients70. As a result, cigarette smoking is linked to poor metabolic control in diabetic patients71, as well as an increased risk of microvascular and macrovascular problems, as well as diabetes mortality72.

As such, and given that many diabetic patients continue to smoke despite their well-known health concerns, new nicotine delivery methods could be a viable and considerably less dangerous alternative73.

7 - Tobacco Effects on Cancer

Cigarette smoke carries toxins that injure our entire bodies74.

The link between smoking and cancer is unbreakable. It causes at least 15 malignancies, including two of the most common, lung and bowel cancers. Other cancers caused by smoking include those of the mouth, pharynx (upper throat), nose, sinuses, larynx (voice box), esophagus (food pipe), liver, pancreas, stomach, kidney, ovary, bladder, cervix, some types of leukemia75.

8 - Tobacco Effects on Skin

Smoking is also linked to rapid aging of the skin, an increase in infections, and a delay in wound healing, among other disorders76. Furthermore, most inflammatory skin diseases affect tobacco smokers more severely than nonsmokers, and smokers generally do not respond as effectively to therapy as non-smokers do77.

Short-term consequences of smoking tobacco on the skin and mucous membranes include:

  • Yellowing of the fingers and nails.
  • Tooth discoloration.
  • Black hairy tongue.
  • Dry skin.
  • Uneven skin pigmentation Puffy eyes.
  • Drooping jawline.
  • Deeper wrinkles on the face are all signs of aging.

Also, check out 8 health complications caused by smoking, here

In conclusion, smoking is injurious to your health, causing various illnesses and diseases. Quitting smoking provides both immediate and long-term benefits for you and your loved ones.

Smoking cessation programs and nicotine-replacement therapy are your ultimate way to effectively stop smoking.

Find out everything you need to know about Smoking cessation programs, here.

Our aim at Nicorette is to help you quit smoking for good. Find more blogs from our medical professionals and understand why you should embrace your smoke-free journey with us.

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