An Introduction to Substance Use Disorders for Dental Professionals
Nicotine Use & Addiction

The U.S. Surgeon General’s Report on Smoking and Health of 1964 was one of the first public documents linking smoking to increased risk of cardiac and vascular disease. More recent research ties tobacco use to cancers of the mouth, pharynx, esophagus, lung, pancreas, and bladder. Additional health risks include diabetes, respiratory disorders, premature, low birth-weight infants, spontaneous abortions and periodontal disease. Those exposed to secondary smoke from tobacco products are at greater risk for these same conditions (Figure 2).

According to the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, an estimated 72.1 million Americans (26.2% of the population) aged 12 or older reported current use of tobacco. Specifically, 55.5 million (20.2% of the population) are cigarette smokers, 22.2 million (8.1%) smoke cigars, and 11.4 million (4.2%) use smokeless tobacco. These statistics confirm tobacco is still one of the most widely abused substances in the United States.^33,45,47