How can snuff and chewing tobacco harm the body?

There are some pretty easy to understand dangers connected with dipping and chewing.

Here’s a brief summary of the harm dipping does in the mouth:

 Spit tobacco may cause cancer of the mouth

 Sugar in spit tobacco may cause decay in tooth roots

 Dip and chew can cause your gums to pull away from the teeth in the place where the tobacco is held. The gums do not grow back

 Leathery white patches and red sores are common in dippers and chewers and can turn into cancer

Recent research shows that spit tobacco use might also cause problems beyond the mouth. Some studies have shown that using spit tobacco may cause pancreatic cancer. And scientists are also looking at the possibility that spit tobacco use might play a role in the development of cardiovascular disease – heart disease and stroke.

Myths and Truths

But what about all the stuff you hear about smokeless tobacco suggesting that it’s as safe as being in your mother’s arms? Let’s look at a few myths – and truths.

Myth: Spit tobacco is a harmless alternative to smoking.

Truth: All tobacco, including smokeless tobacco, contains nicotine, which is addictive. The amount of nicotine absorbed from smokeless tobacco is 3 to 4 times the amount delivered by a cigarette. Also, the nicotine stays in the bloodstream for a longer time. Chewing tobacco and snuff contain 28 carcinogens (cancer–causing agents).

Myth: Dip or chew improves my athletic performance.

Truth: A study of professional baseball players found no connection between spit tobacco and player performance. Using spit tobacco increases your heart rate and blood pressure within a few minutes. This can cause a buzz or rush but the rise in pulse and blood pressure places an extra stress on your heart.

Myth: Good gum care can offset the harmful effects of using dip or chew.

Truth: There is no evidence that brushing or flossing will undo the harm that dip and chew are doing to your teeth and gums.

Myth: It’s easy to quit using dip or chew when you want to.

Truth: Unfortunately, nicotine addiction makes quitting difficult. But those who have quit successfully are very glad they did.

Other health threats related to dip or chew tobacco

Mouth Cancer – cancer of the cheeks, gums, lips and tongue. Smokeless (spit) tobacco users have a 50% higher chance of getting mouth cancer than non-users.

Throat Cancer – cancer of the voice box and cancer of the esophagus.

Heart disease – heart attacks, strokes and high blood pressure.

Dental diseases – stained teeth, tooth decay, receding gums, gum disease, bad breath and black hairy tongue.

Stomach problems – ulcers, stomach upset, increased bowel activity and stomach cancer.

Loss of taste and smell – causes loss of appetite which results in poor nutrition and poor health.

Physical changes – fatigue, muscle weakness, dizziness and decreased physical performance.

People who dip or chew spread their germs when they spit. This increases the risk of passing an infection to others.

Did you know? That baseball players like Babe Ruth used chew tobacco to keep their mouths moist while they were out on the ball field? And that, in the past, tobacco companies provided free smokeless tobacco (as free advertising) to players and their teams which led to their getting “hooked” on the stuff?

Did you know that Joe DiMaggio, baseball player, Joe DiMaggio Jr., Bartlett Giamatti, baseball commissioner and Yale president, Jesse Owens, Olympic athlete, Pee Wee Reese, baseball player, and baseball legend Babe Ruth, as well as high school athlete Sean Marsee all died of tobacco-related cancers or heart attacks?

Or the most ironic fact of all: Did you know that Wayne McLaren, the Marlboro Man, died of lung cancer at age 51?

Source: Celebrity death information courtesy of David Moyer, MD, author of The Tobacco Reference Guide, www.uicc.org funded in part by the European Union.

Athletes now speaking out about the dangers of smokeless tobacco include Derek Jeter of the New York Yankees, Braves' first baseman Andres Galarraga, Braves' winning pitcher John Smoltz and NFL Dallas Cowboys' quarterback Troy Aikman.