Tobacco use continues to have a personal impact on individuals as well as having a public health impact. Tobacco use results in systemic conditions that include cardiovascular disease, lung disease, and numerous types of cancer, and is the single largest cause of death in the United States. With respect to oral health, it is associated with an increased risk of oral cancer and other mucosal lesions, periodontal disease, impaired healing, and caries. In addition, exposure to environmental smoke (secondhand smoke) is associated with oral and systemic diseases that include caries, cardiovascular and lung disease, and periodontal disease. Educating and advising patients on tobacco cessation, and referring them or implementing a program, helps patients stop using tobacco and improve their health.
