Smokers beware

Gone are the sixties when smoking was the thing to do while socialising Today it is quite the opposite, the smoker often times has to excuse himself to go for a smoke. For those die hard addicts who already know the reasons why they should quit, here are a few more.

The damage done to your smile becomes quite evident within a few months of smoking. {{more}}Your teeth and tongue become stained, early signs of periodontal (gum) disease become evident and if not treated can lead to recession, sensitivity to hot and cold, mobile teeth and eventually tooth loss. And if that is not enough of a deterrent, smokers have a greater risk of developing oral cancer than do non-smokers. Bad breath, diminished taste and smell and delayed healing after a tooth extraction or other oral surgery are a few other threats that smoking places on your oral health.

Here are a few tips to help kick the habit as adapted from the American Dental Association:

Develop a list of your personal reasons for quitting.

Set a date in the near future and stick to it.

Exercise. It may make you feel better about yourself and your decision to quit smoking.

Choose a low stress period to quit.

Quit all at once- cold turkey.

Do not keep cigarettes or matches nearby, it will be an easy temptation.

Chew sugarless gum to keep your mouth occupied.

Try all available resources, including audiotapes, books, pamphlets and other self help materials to successfully quit smoking.

Don’t be discouraged if there are setbacks, keep trying, your health – oral and physical- depends on it.