Smokeless tobacco and its effects on oral health

Smokeless tobacco is used without burning the product and can be used orally/nasally. The prevalence of smokeless tobacco use is more common in the Asian countries, especially in India. Smokeless tobacco use is more prevalent among young people and females, because of its ease of use without getting noticed. They are used in various forms like khaini, mawa, pan masala, snuff, mishri etc. More than 28 proven chemical carcinogens present in smokeless tobacco. The nicotine present causes addiction and cardio vascular diseases , on oral cavity it causes premalignant lesions like leukoplakia, erythroplakia and also oral cancer. Smokeless tobacco has deleterious effects on periodontium like increased gingival recession and attachment loss. On teeth, tobacco use increases the susceptibility to caries mainly due to the high sugar content of smokeless tobacco. This book aims to give a brief overview about the smokeless tobacco forms and effects on oral cavity, provides guidelines to counsel the patient and various nicotine replacement therapy that can be used safely in patients, who wish to quit the use of smokeless tobacco products.