Tobacco, oral health, military readiness Published June 17, 2008 By Col. Greg Canney 305th Dental Squadron McGUIRE AIR FORCE BASE, N.J. -- I'm amazed at the numbers of active-duty patients who use tobacco despite increased awareness of the risks and increased leadership emphasis! More than 28 percent of McGuire personnel smoke, use smokeless "spit" tobacco or use both, a statistic that has not changed much over time. The Air Force goal is to reduce tobacco use to less than 12 percent by 2010, and the 305th Air Mobility Wing goal is to eliminate tobacco use by July Fourth, so we have much to do! Not surprisingly, the percentage of military users mirrors the civilian population. It is a national health issue and a readiness issue for the Air Force and other services. Most people know about the risks of tobacco use with lung cancer, but not everyone realizes the increased risk for mouth and throat cancer. Smoking delays healing after tooth extraction (dry sockets), contributes to gum disease, causes bad breath, and stains your teeth and tongue. "Is smokeless tobacco safer than smoking?" Like cigars and cigarettes, smokeless tobacco contains chemicals linked to cancer. At least 28 cancer-causing chemicals are in spit tobacco. Sugar in these products can cause tooth decay. And gums can pull away from the teeth where the tobacco is held, exposing tooth roots and causing cold and heat sensitivity. The gums do not grow back! Surgery is required to recover the roots. Uneven white patches and red sores are common and can mean the very earliest stages of mouth cancer. The habit starts early with peer pressure and print ads (remember the clever TV ads of old with pro sports heroes urging "just a pinch between cheek and gums?") that led kids to start. Nearly 14 percent of high school males in the U.S. use spit tobacco and more than one million kids will try it this year alone; more than 300,000 will become regular users. A few years ago, America's National Spit Tobacco Education Program (www.nstep.org) profiled a 25-year-old oral cancer survivor. "Spit tobacco has ruined my life," he said. "Every time I turn around, they are putting me in the hospital either to have surgery or some kind of treatment. If I had known then what I know now, I never would have put dip in my mouth. Spit tobacco seems harmless, but in reality it was more than I could handle." This young man had nearly 30 disfiguring surgeries to save his life, including radical surgery to remove half of his neck muscles, lymph nodes, part of his lower jaw and half of his tongue. He started spit tobacco at age 13 because his friends did, and he had cancer by age 17. Mouth cancer can spread quickly and is very difficult to treat; only half of those diagnosed will survive more than five years! Many of our patients at McGuire say they are thinking about quitting tobacco use. How many good reasons are there to quit? - It's expensive! A can of dip costs $3, so a can a day is $1,110 per year! (A pack of cigarettes is $4 or more). - It's addictive! Nicotine is a stimulant that affects the brain and body. - It's disgusting! Your breath smells, your clothes reek and your teeth are stained. A very attractive habit that once was cool with your friends is now an embarrassment and a health risk. I encourage supervisors, wingmen and commanders to encourage their Airmen to at least reduce tobacco use as a first step. Even better, contact the Health and Wellness Center at (609) 754-2462 for information on their excellent four-part tobacco cessation program with Tuesday classes at 9 a.m. Good oral health is good for you, your family and ensures a fit, deployable asset for the Air Force.