Facts and Tips to Help You Quit Tobacco Use!

Adverse Effects of Tobacco Use:

Systemic Effects:

• Cancer
• Cardiovascular Disease
• Hypertension, Stroke
• Respiratory Disease
• Reproductive Problems
• Ulcers
• Osteoporosis
• Facial Wrinkling
• Nicotine Addiction

Oral Effects:

• Cancer (mouth, larynx, pharynx esophagus and lips)
• Tooth Stain
• Tartar Build-up
• Halitosis (bad breath)
• Impaired taste and smell
• Delayed wound healing
• Hairy/coated tongue
• Pre-cancerous lesions
• Periodontal disease (gum/tooth disease)
• Tooth loss
• Xerostomia (dry mouth)

FACT: Tobacco reduces blood flow to the gums, depriving them of oxygen and nutrients that allow gums to stay healthy, and leaving them vulnerable to bacterial infection.

FACT: Current smokers were about four times more likely to have periodontitis (gum/tooth disease) than people who had never smoked.

Tips to help you get started at quitting:

• Start with figuring out why and when you smoke.
• Pick a date to quit (a low stress time is best)
• Nicotine patches or gum may be helpful. Contact your physician for more information.
• Don’t be discouraged! It takes on average about five attempts to successfully stop smoking. Each relapse brings you one step closer to quitting for good.

Use “The Four D’s to help with your journey:

1. Drink Water – Water with crushed ice helps flush nicotine out of your system faster and helps satisfy oral cravings.
2. Deep Breathing – Take a “deep breath break” instead of a cigarette break – Take 10 deep breaths and hold the last one while lighting a match. Exhale slowly, and blow out the match.
3. Delay – Each day, delay lighting your first cigarette by one hour. When you have your next craving, delay for another 15 or 30 minutes. Now YOU will be in control!
4. Do Something Different – When you have a craving, change your activity. Get out of the situation that makes you want to smoke. (*Adapted from “Tips To Help You Quit” – The Lung Association)

FACT: Quitting will have a great impact on your overall health and oral health. Ex-smokers have a decreased risk of heart disease, respiratory illnesses, strokes and cancers. Quitting smoking will reduce the rate of gum disease, oral cancers and bone and tooth loss; keeping teeth whiter; and allowing sores to heal and disappear.

Websites to help you Quit Smoking:

www.hc-sc.gc.ca

www.smokershelpline.ca

www.quitnow.ca

www.on.lung.ca/journey

Nothing is impossible, the word it self says, “I’m possible” – Audrey Hepburn

Kristine
Dental Hygienist