Public Health England (PHE) encourages people to give up cigarettes. Perhaps you only started smoking recently. Or perhaps you’ve been smoking for years. Quitting is not easy, no time may feel like a good time to stop smoking. But you will will feel better for doing it.
Moreover, research supports that people who commit to not smoking for a month, ie no cigarettes for the whole of January, are five times more likely to stay smoke free than people who give up without a planned target. Your health care professionals can help you plan for this life-changing move. Find out more about the support that’s available.
News update: Is it a good idea to stop smoking and vape instead?
A word of warning.
Researchers expressed concern in the past about the long term effects of vaping. Now, as the years have passed and the numbers of people taking up vaping soars, it is beginning to take it’s toll.
Regarded as a useful aid to quit smoking, think of nicotine vaping as a short term substitute. Why not ask a health professional about other alternative aids?
Ways to stop smoking.
- Some people like to talk to a professional for motivation and support. You can find a stop smoking service near you. Or alternatively, drop into your local pharmacy for help. Professional advisors can increase your chance of successfully stopping smoking.
- More and more people are turning to nicotine replacement therapy to stop smoking. Your pharmacist can advise on patches, inhalers or lozenges.
- And many people are finding success vaping. But it is not risk free. As the first e-cigarettes only came on the market just over ten years ago, time will show what the long term effects are.
- Whether using patches, chewing gum or vaping, substitutes should only be a short stage on the journey to going totally nicotine free.
- There are many people, too, who have successfully given up smoking without using substitutes. It’s the best way to save money as well as improve your health!
What can I expect if I stop smoking by going “cold turkey”?
It’s a good idea to know what to expect* as then you can manage better.
- It takes three days for the body to be free of nicotine.
- Usually it’s day two or three when withdrawal symptoms are at their worst.
- The usual withdrawal symptoms people experience are: irritability, anxiety, lack of focus, headaches, cravings for food and cigarettes.
- Although many people start feeling better by the end of the first week, it can take up to three months though for the cravings to stop.
- And the habit can stay with you a life-time, which is why it’s a good idea to plan coping mechanisms, even if it means crunching carrot sticks at times when you’d normally smoke.
*Dr. Steven M. Melemis offers helpful advice on his website for Addiction and Recovery information.
Keep on reminding yourself of the benefits if you stop smoking.
At SpaDental we are concerned about the general health of our patients. Moreover, we are particularly aware of the damaging effects that smoking has on oral health.
Why dentists recommend going smoke free:
- increases the risk of mouth and throat cancers.
- affects the oxygen levels in the bloodstream, so infected gums don’t heal well. The result is gum disease that just keeps on getting worse. Gum disease often leads to tooth loss.
- stains teeth and can cause bad breath.
If you make a dental appointment your dentist will routinely check for signs of gum disease and mouth cancer.
And, when you stop smoking, why not treat yourself to a course of tooth whitening with the money you’ve saved?
Transform your smile as well as your life!
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