Smoking Cessation | North Carolina Dentist, Wilmington NC dentistry

Smoking Cessation - Giving Up What's Bad For You!

Smokers already know they are taking health risks. But do they really know to the extent of these risks? If you are a smoker, perhaps a better understanding of the effects of cigarette's toxic chemicals on your body may help.

Smoking harms nearly every organ of the body and diminishes your overall health. It is a leading cause of cancer, including cancers of the lung, esophagus, larynx, mouth, throat, kidney, bladder, pancreas, stomach, and cervix, as well as acute myeloid leukemia.

Smoking also causes heart disease, stroke, aortic aneurysm (a balloon-like bulge in an artery in the chest), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD, or chronic bronchitis and emphysema), asthma, hip fractures, and cataracts. Smokers are at higher risk of developing pneumonia and other airway infections.

Men who smoke are at greater risk of erectile dysfunction. A pregnant smoker is at higher risk of having her baby born too early and with an abnormally low birth weight. A woman who smokes during or after pregnancy increases her infant's risk of death from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). As a matter of fact, nearly 50 percent of those who don't quit smoking will die of smoking-related problems.

Breaking free from nicotine dependence is not the only reason to quit smoking. Cigarette smoke contains a deadly mix of more than 7,000 chemicals; hundreds are toxic and about 70 of these can cause cancer.

Quitting is not easy, but the benefits are almost immediate. Your circulation improves, your blood pressure starts to return to normal, your sense of smell and taste return and breathing becomes easier. In the long term, your risk of getting cancer decreases with each year you stay smoke-free.

It's Good To Be A Quitter!

Fortunately, people who stop smoking greatly reduce their risk for disease and premature death. Smoking cessation is associated with the following health benefits:

Quitting smoking lowers the risk for lung and other types of cancer.
Quitting smoking reduces the risk for coronary heart disease, stroke, and coronary heart disease risk is reduced within 1 to 2 years of quitting.
Quitting smoking reduces respiratory problems like coughing and shortness of breath.
Quitting smoking reduces the risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
For women in their reproductive years, quitting smoking reduces the risk for infertility.
Women who stop smoking during pregnancy reduce their risk of having a low birth weight baby.

Over 70% of smokers in the U.S. claim they want to quit, and millions have tried. Since 2002, over 50% of smokers who were trying to quit have, indeed, succeeded, with over 60% of success for those in the 18-24 age group.

The reasons to quit are endless. A study of 35,000 British male doctors and their smoking habits stands out as perhaps one of the most important ever. When early results were published in 1954, it was the first really solid evidence that smoking causes lung cancer. On June 26, 2004 - 50 years to the day after that initial report - the British Medical Journal published an article summarizing a half century's worth of mortality data on the British physicians. Some of the key points:

Nonsmokers live about 10 years longer than smokers.
Quitting at age 60, 50, 40 or 30 adds, respectively, 3, 6, 9 or 10 years to life expectancy.
Life expectancy of ex-smokers is about the same as it is for those who never smoked if they quit between the ages of 35 - 44.

If you have tried to quit in the past, you may have become frustrated by short-term effects such as weight gain, irritability and anxiety. Today, there are many ways to quit smoking. Because tobacco dependence is a chronic condition, it often requires repeated interventions. However, smokers can and do quit smoking through effective treatments and helpful resources. In fact, there are now more former smokers than current smokers.

The Oral Health & Overall Health Connection

Extensive research has been conducted worldwide over the past two decades by the medical and dental professions. The results continually show a correlation between the bacteria of gum disease and health repercussions elsewhere in the body. This includes coronary artery disease, stroke, memory loss, preterm low birth weight babies, diabetes, and lung disease. The list, however, tends to grow as more and more research is completed.

The "link" between oral health and your overall health is the result of gum disease bacteria traveling to other parts of the body through the bloodstream. Because smoking dries out gum tissue and makes one more susceptible to developing gingivitis and periodontal disease, it is wise to know how this chain reaction occurs.

Gum disease bacteria enters the bloodstream through tears in the gum tissue. Because gum (periodontal) disease symptoms include swollen, tender and bleeding gums, the ability for bacteria to enter the bloodstream is quite easy.

As the blood travels throughout the body, this bacteria can settle in at various points. Like any bacteria, bacterial growth begins and impacts different parts of the body in different ways. It creates problems with various degrees of devastation.

When it comes to your heart, there are certainly a number of factors that contribute to heart disease. Smoking, being overweight, having high cholesterol or high blood pressure, and being inactive are all contributors to cardio problems.

However, it's known that the bacteria of gum disease can penetrate the bloodstream, usually entering through a tear in gum tissue. Scientists believe that these bacterial byproducts directly or indirectly cause an inflammation of the blood vessel wall. This inflammation can result in blockage of an artery, which leads to a heart attack.

Consider that more than 60 million Americans (one in four) have some form of heart disease. This, coupled with the fact that one in three adults in the U.S. between the ages of 30 and 54 have some form of periodontal disease, create an enormous health care challenge in this country.

It has been shown that gum disease contributes to infective endocarditis. This is when the interior lining of the heart and heart valves become inflamed due to bacterial build-up and can be a fatal condition.

For those who have been diagnosed with heart disease or high blood pressure, the medications they take for these conditions can even create greater potential for gum disease. Some commonly prescribed medications for these conditions can cause dry mouth. If you smoke, 's a double-whammy on oral tissues!

Added Bonuses!

Here are your 'Lucky Thirteen Extras' to enjoy as a result of giving up smoking:

Saving a bundle on cigarettes.
You'll save time checking out without a Cashier hunting for your cigarettes.
You won't feel awkward smoking in a roped off area for smokers.
No more glares or lectures from others about the hazards of smoking.
Your clothes and hair will smell fresh.
Your mouth will taste fresh and 'kissable' again!
Your car and furniture will smell nice again.
You won't become winded easily.
Your teeth and fingers won't have a 'stained' appearance.
You'll be able to call your health insurance company to say you're no longer a smoker, to earn lower rates!
You won't have to stand outside when it's cold or rainy because you need a cigarette.
You won't feel guilty around children or others about your second-hand smoke.
Your employer will appreciate knowing you no longer need smoking breaks.

Ready To Quit? Here Are Some Tips!

Congratulations! We want this to be successful for you and have provided some helpful tips. Before you quit, begin reducing your cigarette use. It is recommended that you set a quit date and quit completely on that day.

Know withdrawal symptoms to expect when you stop. Common symptoms include:

An intense craving for nicotine
Anxiety, tension, restlessness, frustration, impatience
Difficulty concentrating
Drowsiness, trouble sleeping, bad dreams, nightmares
Headaches
Increased appetite and weight gain
Irritability or depression

The severity of your symptoms will depend on how long you smoked and how many cigarettes you smoked per day.

Be sure to tell friends, family and co-workers that you have decided to stop smoking. Clean anything that smells like smoke, such as clothes and furniture. Have your car interior cleaned so it smells fresh.

Identify the times you are most likely to smoke. For example, do you tend to smoke when feeling stressed? When out at night with friends? While drinking coffee or right after a meal? While watching TV or when you are with other smokers?

Write down how you will deal with those times when you are most likely to smoke. Be specific, such as take a walk when you feel stressed. If you normally smoke after eating, find other ways to end a meal. Eat a piece of fruit. Get up and make a phone call. Take a walk (which also burns calories).

Don't Just Quit - Become A "New You!"

Let quitting smoking become a motivating factor in positive changes in your lifestyle. For example, change your daily schedule and habits. Eat at different times or eat several small meals instead of three large ones. Sit in a different chair. Eat celery or other low-calorie snacks. Chew sugarless gum. Go to restaurants where smoking is prohibited.

Exercise helps relieve the urge to smoke. Consider using the money you normally spend on cigarettes to join a gym or hiring a personal trainer. Get more exercise. Take walks or ride a bike.

If At First You Don't Succeed ...

Nicotine addiction is a hard habit to break. Going it on your own doesn't always work. Some people try to quit smoking and succeed the first go-round. Others need support, and find it in different forms through programs at hospitals, health departments, community centers or even work sites. Self-hypnosis or other techniques are also successful for some people. If you feel it would be beneficial, ask your health care provider about prescription medications that are safe. These include nicotine patches, gum and sprays. These can help 'wean' you off nicotine in stages.

The American Cancer Society's web site, www.cancer.org, is an excellent resource for smokers who are trying to quit. The Great American Smokeout can also help some smokers kick the habit.

Above all, don't become discouraged if you aren't able to quit smoking the first time. Try something different next time. Remember to take it one day at a time and know that you are doing something wonderful for your body!