LAS VEGAS, NEVADA- Dr. David Alpan, a Las Vegas Invisalign provider, is using World No Tobacco Day on May 31 to draw attention to the oral side effects of tobacco use.

“Tobacco use is extremely detrimental to a patient’s health in general, and there are a multitude of effects to dental health and the effectiveness of orthodontics,” says Dr. Alpan, a leading Las Vegas, NV braces provider.

The annual World No Tobacco Day is part of the World Health Organization’s Tobacco Free Initiative. The mission is to significantly reduce the toll of tobacco-related diseases and deaths around the world. According to a WHO news release article, tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of death. In 2011, more than 5 million people will die from a tobacco-related heart attack, stroke, cancer, lung ailment or other disease.

Just a few of the consequences of tobacco use are teeth stains, halitosis, tooth loss, mouth sores, facial wrinkling, increased risk of periodontal disease and oral cancer. Tobacco also suppresses the immune system response to oral infection and healing. All of that adds up to equal poor oral health and less effective orthodontic treatment, says Dr. Alpan.

If you are a patient at our Las Vegas orthodontics practice who uses tobacco—and anyone who uses tobacco—we urge you to improve oral health, increase orthodontic effectiveness and prevent disease by quitting.

“My goal is to achieve a beautiful, healthy smile for each patient and set the stage for optimal oral health for life. That is why I love orthodontics. If any of my patients have questions or concerns about the effects of tobacco use on their orthodontics, I am ready to listen, to counsel and to join them in improving their quality of life,” says Dr. Alpan, Las Vegas, NV orthodontist.