SMOKELESS TOBACCO

Also Known As:
 Snuff 
    Pinch
    Dip
    Quid
 Chewing tobacco
    Plug
    Wad
    Chew

What is Smokeless tobacco?
There are two products classified as smokeless tobacco: snuff and chewing tobacco.

Snuff is a fine grain of tobacco. It comes in small, round tin cans or pouches and is used by taking a “pinch,” “dip,” or “quid,” placing it between the lower lip or cheek and gum, and sucking on it.

Chewing tobacco is long strands of tobacco that come in pouches or compressed into plugs, that are sweetened & flavored to make it more palatable. When it is used, chewing tobacco is usually called a “plug,” “wad,” or “chew,” and is held in the cheek pouch.


Consider the Shocking Facts:

• Smokeless tobacco puts more nicotine into your bloodstream than cigarettes
• The average “dip” of snuff contains the same amount of nicotine as two cigarettes
• Smokeless tobacco users are 50 times more likely to get oral cancer than nonusers

Some of the effects of using smokeless tobacco include:

• Cancer of the mouth (including the lip, tongue, and cheek) and throat.
• Leukoplakia, a white, leathery-like patch, which is precancerous
• Heart Disease
• High blood pressure
• Gum and tooth disease
• Gum recession
• Bone loss around teeth
• Halitosis (bad breath)
• Increased salivation, resulting in the need to spit frequently

Warning signs of oral cancer:

• A sore lip that does not heal
• A lump or white patch in the mouth
• A prolonged sore throat
• Difficulty in chewing
• Restricted movement of the tongue or jaws
• A constant feeling of something in the throat 

***If you are or have been a smokeless tobacco user and are experiencing any of these symptoms, consult your dentist immediately.
 

Sources:
American Academy of Family Physicians
American Academy of Pediatrics
Journal of the American Medical Association, 1990
Connecticut Clearinghouse

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