Statement of Acknowledgement

We acknowledge and respect the traditional custodians on whose ancestral lands we provide dental services.

We acknowledge the deep feeling of attachment and relationship of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to Country.

We pay our respects to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people attending our services.

We are committed to improving the oral health outcomes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that this website may contain images, voices and names of people who have passed away.

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Smoking

Man sitting in dental clinic chair smiling

Smoking affects your whole body, including your mouth.

Tobacco smoking remains the single most preventable cause of illness and death in Australia.

If you are a smoker, you may suffer from:

  • Bad breath.
  • Stained teeth/dentures/white fillings.
  • Reduced taste.

Smoking also increases the risk of oral cancer and gum disease.

If your teeth or dentures are stained from smoking:

  • Use a soft toothbrush and a pea-sized amount of adult fluoride toothpaste to clean your teeth.
  • Clean dentures with mild soap and water.
  • Avoid using smokers’ toothpaste and whitening products as they can be too abrasive.

It is important to know that smoking might cause problems after dental treatment, including:

  • Poor healing after tooth extraction.
  • Failure of dental implants and
  • Slowed healing after gum disease treatment.

If you are a smoker and thinking about quitting, speak to SA Dental staff or call the Quitline on 13 78 48.