Tobacco Addiction (Nicotiana Tabacum) and Its Effects on Oral Health

The modernization and westernization of the current lifestyle has unknowingly taken its toll, on an individual’s habits, dietary or otherwise, ultimately culminating into fatal conditions or diseases. Tobacco is a second major cause of death in the world. Tobacco is consumed in the form of smoking viz cigarettes, cigars, beedis, hukkah etc. or as smokeless varieties that are chewed viz. Raw powdered tobacco, Misri (roasted and powdered tobacco), Gutkha, Zarda, Pan masala etc. In Ayurved, Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum Linn), named as Tamraparna has been stated as a Sthavaravisha that primarily affects the CNS and is a cardiac poison. It’s chemical constituent, Nicotine is highly toxic and addictive. The common symptoms manifested being gingivitis, painful and bleeding gums, blackening of gums, dental caries, loosening of teeth, yellowish discolouration of teeth, halitosis, stomatitis, difficulty in chewing and swallowing, oral lesions etc. which may further lead to oral carcinoma. Keywords: Nicotine, Oral Carcinoma, oral lesions, Toxicity.