You can call it what you want — smokeless tobacco, spit tobacco, chew, snuff, pinch, plug or dip — but don’t call it harmless. If you’re considering making the switch from cigarettes to chewing tobacco because you think the smokeless version of tobacco won’t hurt you, be forewarned — chewing tobacco also causes serious health problems. What’s worse is that our children who love baseball are persuaded to think that chewing tobacco is “cool”, as they see many of their favorite players or managers with a huge wad of chew in their mouth.
Smokeless tobacco is available in three main forms:
Chewing tobacco. This type of smokeless tobacco comes in loose leaf, plugs or twists. As the name suggests, it’s chewed.
Snuff. This product is available dry or moist, in loose leaf or in pouches that look like small tea bags. A pinch of snuff may be placed between the cheek and the gum or inhaled into the nostrils.
Betel quid. A product of India, Africa and Asia, betel quid is produced commercially or made at home. It consists of a dried paste that often includes tobacco, areca nuts, catechu, and scent or flavoring. Catechu is a plant-based product used to treat diarrhea and sometimes used for birth control in some parts of the world. Areca nuts are a plant-based product often used as a recreational drug. Betel is placed in the mouth, usually between the gum and cheek, and gently sucked and chewed.
Though the concept of chewing tobacco might conjure up images of a messy brown liquid spit out on the ball field, not all smokeless tobacco needs to be spit out during use. Tobacco companies have developed a friendlier version of chewing tobacco — a spitless tobacco — in an effort to convince more smokers to consider using smokeless products in places where smoking is prohibited. However, this does not minimize the risk.
Here at Dr. Matarazzo’s office, we are concerned with the problems that these products can have on your teeth. Next week, we will discuss some of the health risks associated with chewing tobacco, since many seem to think that these dangers don’t exist. Visit our site at www.drmatarazzo.com for more information.
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