Although it is known by everyone that smoking, which is used by many people in the society, is harmful, the extent and severity of this damage is not known so widely. Smoking, which can cause many problems from cancer to premature birth, is a factor that reduces human lifespan compared to non-smokers. Cigarette smoke, which is harmful to almost every organ in the body, also affects the environment. You can read the rest of the article to learn more about the harms of smoking and the diseases caused by smoking.
What are the Harms of Smoking?
Smoking is a factor that can cause some of the preventable diseases all over the world. Just not using it to avoid its effects is not a solution. At the same time, it is necessary not to be in environments with cigarette smoke. Cigarette is a harmful tobacco product that can affect many organs of the person with the substances it contains. Although the most known of these damages are increasing lung cancer, vascular occlusions, respiratory system problems, it causes many other health problems. A cigarette consumer ingests 75,000 toxic chemicals per year. The majority of these chemicals are specifically cancer-causing substances. These health risks are caused not only by normal cigarettes, but also by electronic cigarettes and heated cigarettes. As the amount of cigarettes smoked daily by smokers increases, the risks of shortness of breath, lung and larynx cancer increase at the same rate. Another factor that increases the risk of health problems is the low smoking age. As the age decreases, the time spent consuming cigarettes increases and the health risks increase.
Cancer
Among the health hazards of smoking, the most known is the risk of cancer. Although smoking is generally known to increase the risk of lung cancer, it is a risk factor for many other types of cancer. There are several reasons why smoking poses a cancer risk. The first of these is that the poisons in cigarette smoke weaken the body's immune system. The weakened immune system makes it difficult to destroy the formed tumor cells and causes the cancer cells to grow by growing and multiplying. Another reason why smoking causes cancer risk is that the poisons in cigarette smoke damage human cell DNA. is able to give. When DNA is damaged, the cell structure may deteriorate, causing the formation of cancer cells. Not only smoking, but also exposure to cigarette smoke through passive smoking is a risk factor for cancer types that may occur. The types of cancer that can develop due to smoking are:
- Leukemia
- Lung cancer
- Cervical cancer
- Colon cancer
- Eesophageal cancer
- Oral and throat cancer
- Stomach cancer
Cardiovascular System Diseases
After the risk of cancer caused by smoking, the biggest problem is cardiovascular system diseases. Cardiovascular system diseases include cardiovascular diseases. Smoking increases triglyceride and LDL (harmful cholesterol) levels in the blood over time. Increases in these values can cause blood clots, block blood flow to the heart and brain, or damage blood vessel cells. For these reasons, smoking is likely to harm cardiovascular health. In severe and progressive cases, limb amputation may be required in areas where blood does not go away. The risk of stroke increases with the involvement of the veins. Due to vascular problems, brain cells are deprived of oxygen and begin to die, resulting in paralysis.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
COPD is a disease that occurs in the respiratory tract. With COPD, which causes airflow obstruction, less air begins to pass through the lungs over time. The most common cause of COPD is cigarette smoke that comes into direct contact with the lungs. Symptoms include wheezing in the chest, shortness of breath, and cough with phlegm. With these activities, the lungs try to expel the harmful fumes inside. When cigarette consumption continues after the diagnosis of the disease, rapid worsening is observed. In the presence of COPD, even simple daily activities such as walking become very tiring with insufficient lung capacity.
Diabetes
The risk of developing type 2 diabetes increases with smoking. Due to the damage caused by smoking to the blood vessels, the risks that increase with diabetes are even stronger. For this reason, problems such as decreased blood flow in the legs and feet and blindness may occur.
Physical Changes
Smoking sa It can cause various changes not only on the internal organs, but also on the skin, teeth, nails and hair. Especially, the formation of wrinkles on the skin at an early age and darkening under the eyes are common in individuals who smoke. Yellowing of teeth and mustaches are other physical disorders. With long-term use of cigarettes, sagging occurs under the eyes and the skin begins to dry.
Sexual Health
Smoking not only has many effects on the body, but also affects sexual health. These effects vary for men and women. In men, it can cause problems such as low sperm count, genetic damage to sperm, sexual dysfunction. In women, it can cause problems such as decreased fertility, menstrual irregularity, early menopause, and the risk of cervical cancer.
Oral Health
One of the most affected body parts due to smoking is the mouth and teeth. . Apart from problems such as oral cancer and yellowing of the teeth, there are risks for oral health. Gums that are constantly exposed to cigarette smoke may begin to become inflamed. The resulting gum diseases cause damage to the bones surrounding the teeth, causing the teeth to be weak and sensitive. At the same time, the risk of plaque, tartar and tartar formation on the teeth increases. In the future, even tooth loss may occur. Indicators that smoking-related dental health is adversely affected are:
- Inflamed gums
- Teeth yellowing
- Pus from the gums
- Bad breath odor
- Deterioration in the taste of the mouth
- Weakness in the teeth
- Opening between the teeth
Although the harms of smoking are many, cigarette is a substance that can be avoided and quitted. With the awareness of people, getting away from this substance as soon as possible helps to improve health and prevents the increase of health risks. If the person smokes and has symptoms such as shortness of breath and getting tired quickly, it is better to go to a health institution as soon as possible.
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