The ADA (American Dental Association) has announced their support of H.R 1662 – a bill that would make Veteran facilities cigarette smoke free.
It is a well known fact that smoking will negatively affect your health – and that includes orally. Smoking cigarettes and chewing tobacco products can lead to tooth decay, tooth loss, discoloration of teeth and gums, and can even lead to oral cancer, which will cause close 10,000 people in the US alone this year.
Secondhand smoke can be just as detrimental to your oral health. Even if you aren’t physically smoking or chewing tobacco, being around and inhaling the smoke puts you at risk for the same slew of health problems. Bill H.R 1662 asks congress to protect our veterans from this problem.
“As a nation, we must do more to improve and protect the health of our veterans. Providing a smoke-free VHA system for our veterans is an important step in the right direction,” said representatives of the 45 organizations in support of this bill. “Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of death in the United States and exposure to secondhand smoke has a significant impact on Americans’ health.”
We applaud the ADA for showing their support in protecting our veterans against harmful fumes from tobacco products. Are you looking for more information regarding the implications of tobacco products on your oral health? Give our offices a call to speak to one of our experts at (602) 795-5995.
