You don’t have to stop smoking on your willpower alone. Your dentist can help. Your dentist can
- Show you pictures of oral cancers caused by smoking
- Perform a dental exam and tell you all the things that are already wrong with your mouth because you smoke
- List consequences of continuing to smoke that involve your teeth, your gums, your heart, your lungs, and your very life
- Share encouraging news like the fact that it only takes 20 minutes after you stop smoking for your blood pressure to drop and a year later you have half the risk of heart disease
- Be part of your support team
- Give you professional input on e-cigarettes
- Recommend nicotine replacement/smoking cessation products
- Provide information on items like sugar-free gum that will help you adjust to not having a cigarette in your mouth
- Suggest resources and support in your geographical area
- Encourage you over the long haul with progress reports on your improving dental health
Don’t try to stop smoking alone. Enlist the aid of our dental staff here at Hughes and Hughes Family Dentistry and pick up a “Quit Smoking” brochure the next time you are in the office.