Doctor shows horrifying impact on gums from using snus and chewing tobacco

A periodontist has shared the potentially devastating impact that snus, chewing tobacco and other smokeless tobacco products can have on the gums.

Around 522,000 adults, one percent of the adult population, use tobacco-free nicotine pouches in the UK, according to action on smoking and health.

Explaining how it works, Dr Joe Nemeth, a periodontist in Southfield, Michigan says the products are placed between the gum and cheek, allowing nicotine to be absorbed through the lining of the mouth.

While this provides users with a nicotine hit without smoking, he warned that repeatedly exposing the same area of tissue to these substances can cause serious damage.

Dr Nemeth said on the Katranji & Nemeth DDS YouTube channel that he has treated patients who developed striking white lesions in areas where smokeless tobacco had regularly been held.

Around 7.5% of 16 to 24-year-old-men are using the small sachets that fit under the top lip, compared with 1.9% use among young women (Getty Stock Images)

He compared their appearance to burns, explaining that prolonged contact can irritate the cheek and gum tissue.

Some of these white patches can be classified as leukoplakia, although not necessarily cancer itself, certain lesions can contain precancerous changes and require medical or dental assessment.

To demonstrate the possible consequences, Dr Nemeth discussed an extreme case involving chewing tobacco that had repeatedly been left between the lower lip and gum.

He said the patient subsequently developed cancer in the affected area. While stressing that this represented a particularly severe example, the periodontist said he has encountered other patients whose oral tissue appeared severely irritated or precancerous, as well as cancerous lesions associated with chewing tobacco use.

Snus can cause cancer, though the risk is lower than that of smoking cigarettes (BMJ)

The expert said: “I’ve actually seen a couple of cancerous lesions related to chewing tobacco use. All of these forms of smokeless tobacco can be very harmful and very dangerous to the tissues of the mouth, the cheek and the gum.

“There is almost a caustic quality about them, and they can cause recession of the gum tissue, sometimes so much recession that the tooth becomes endangered and can be lost.

“Chewing tobacco can stain the teeth and actually permanently discolour the teeth. So my advice is: do not, do not use smokeless tobacco.

“It can only be harmful. There’s nothing good about it at all.

“Well, maybe you get a nicotine high from it, but it’s not worth the danger to the tissues in your mouth, particularly the cheek and particularly the gum tissue, with the chance that it can cause precancerous lesions and increase your risk of mouth cancer, oral cancer, which can actually be fatal.”

In serious cases, he warned, recession may become extensive enough to endanger the affected tooth and potentially contribute to tooth loss. Chewing tobacco can also stain and discolour teeth.