The Oral Effects of Tobacco Use - Recognition and Patient Management

Abstract

Abstract Introduction Tobacco use is a primary cause of preventable morbidity and mortality worldwide. In the US alone, tobacco-related diseases kill approximately 500,000 people per year. The initial interaction of tobacco with the human body occurs in the mouth. Because of the oral cavity's natural environment (rapid cell turnover, bacterial load, etc.) and its vascularity, it is not unexpected that the reaction to tobacco is quite active here and that resulting exposure to tobacco can be most intense. Therefore, it is important for health care practitioners to understand the effects of tobacco on the oral and maxillofacial complex in order to identify and manage such oral adverse effects. Methods This teaching module on the oral effects of tobacco use includes a complete set of lecture slides with instructor notes, along with 30 assessment items for students to assess their comprehension of the content subsequent to engaging the presentation. Results The module has been utilized as a lecture for several oral health professions audiences and student evaluations have deemed it to be an effective presentation due to the use of images of the lesions being discussed and the accompanying explanations. The content is significant for learners about to enter the clinical setting, or already involved in patient care because they can readily apply the material to a clinical encounter. Discussion After completion of the module, the student is better prepared to detect and manage oral tobacco-related lesions. In addition, they have a stronger appreciation of the complexity and broad scope of consequences from tobacco use that can be found in the oral and maxillofacial complex. As such, it is anticipated that they may be more likely to engage their tobacco-using patients in education and cessation counseling.

Keywords

• Caries
• Building Oral Health Capacity (BOHC) Collection
• Tobacco Use Cessation
• Smoking
• Nicotine
• Cigarette