Some people are of the mistaken belief that using smokeless tobacco will help them to stay healthier than if they were to smoke cigarettes.
While certain problems relating to breathing difficulties that are associated with smoking cigarettes such as emphysema might not be prevalent with people who chew tobacco there are enough other health problems caused by chewing tobacco to warn anyone off this habit.
Surely the increased incidence of mouth cancer, receding gums, bad breath and teeth discoloration will discourage anyone from starting this habit.
If that is not enough then they might like to consider what it would be like to have cancer of the lips, throat and tongue. These are all health problems that are associated with chewing tobacco.
Smokeless tobacco is as addictive as smoking as it is made from the same tobacco plants and contains the very same toxins that create the addiction to cigarettes.
People who stop chewing tobacco get the same withdrawal symptoms as those who quit smoking.
People who chew tobacco do so for the same reasons that others smoke cigarettes. It can be comforting, make them feel good or relaxed. It can even taste good with the sugar and flavors that the manufacturers add.
Some people even think that smokeless tobacco helps them to perform better both physically and mentally. This hasn’t been proven in scientific studies and is a misconception that some people have.
What is of more concern to anyone who is considering smokeless tobacco or is trying to break the habit is the fact that over half of the people that use smokeless tobacco will eventually suffer from Leukoplakia.
Leukoplakia is the condition that is a precursor to mouth cancer and appears as a white sore or plaque in the mouth. This is often mistaken for a callus and is common for people who use smokeless tobacco so while they might not get lung cancer there is always the problem of cancer no matter what form of tobacco use.
The least of the problems you can expect is gum disease and all the associated problems that brings with it.