We have all been told at one point or another that smoking is bad for you – and there is a lot of evidence to back that up! But did you know that smoking causes a multitude of dental problems? The most obvious dental problems that arise from smoking are bad breath and yellow teeth. This is caused primarily by the tar present in cigarettes and other forms of tobacco. Complications are often caused by the increased build up of tarter and plaque on smoker’s teeth, although some of them are directly related to the nicotine and chemicals present in tobacco products. Smoking interferes with the repair and general function of gum tissue, and impairs blood flow in the gums. That is enough to keep many people from smoking – bad breath is a horrible social deterrent, and is one of the biggest complaints of the work environment, according to a recent survey. Yellow teeth are, well, unsightly – in the ancient Japanese culture wives would let their teeth turn...