Dip is a form of smokeless tobacco also known as chew. Smokeless does not mean safe
Dip is usually placed between the lower lip or inner cheek and gums. The addictive chemical nicotine is absorbed through the tissues in your mouth, and other chemicals such as lead, formaldehyde, and carcinogens, like cadmium and arsenic, are also released.2 Although dip is not inhaled like a cigarette it is still harmful to your health in many ways as well as your oral cavity.
Research has also linked smokeless tobacco use to receding gums. In severe cases, gum recession can lead to tooth loss if bacteria are built up around the root of your tooth, causing further gum disease.
Each year in the U.S., more than 2,300 people are diagnosed with oral, esophageal, and pancreatic cancers caused by smokeless tobacco use. Of this number, 1,600—about 70 percent—are oral cancer.1
According to the FDA, each day in the United States, nearly 1,300 youth under 18 years of age use smokeless tobacco for the first time, more than 950 of whom are male.
According to the American Dental Association, using dip also increases your risk of developing leukoplakia.
Leukoplakia is a white precancerous growth that forms in your mouth and increases your risk of developing oral cancer.
Using dip on a regular basis can also lead to more serious problems such as tooth loss, bone loss, cavities, tooth staining, and bad breath. Brushing and flossing alone won’t undo any damage that the tobacco has already caused the only way to truly control it is to stop.
