Most dental insurance companies charge smokers higher premiums than they do those who don’t use tobacco. This is because insurance companies assume more financial risk when they cover a smoker.
In general, someone is considered a smoker if he or she has smoked in the past year. Some insurance companies extend that criterion back as far as five years, according to InsuranceQnA.com.
“The reason why smokers are charged higher dental insurance premiums is that those who smoke are more prone to diseases of the gums and teeth,” the article says. “In fact, smoking is considered one of the main reasons for tooth loss.”
The Oral Health Foundation argues that individuals who smoke tend to produce more bacterial plaque in their mouths than normal, which can ultimately cause gum disease.
“The gums are affected because smoking causes a lack of oxygen in the bloodstream, so the infected gums don't heal. Smoking causes people to have more dental plaque and causes gum disease to get worse more quickly than in non-smokers.”