Stop Smoking Help Blog

Gettin' murried 12/31/08 :) says:

I’m a dental student, and we counsel every patient that walks in about tobacco (whether or not they smoke). There is so, so much out there that shows research about how awful it is, and I’ll try to find some. However, I think the best and more effective way is by finding some risky-looking things in the mouth. Almost 100% of smokers and chewers will develop some sort of oral lesion. A lot of them are benign, but some will become cancerous. I know that “scare tactics” aren’t a fair way to educate someone, but there’s something to be said for getting a point home when you can see evidence in your own body.

Here’s what to do: take a flashlight and shine it into his mouth (or have him look himself.) Have him stick his tongue out and look under it, and on either side (way in the back). Look at the skin on the inside of his cheeks, the roof of his mouth, and on the inner side of upper and lower lips. Look for any white spots, ulcers, or red spots. Here’s an idea of what to look for:

http://www.nidcr.nih.gov/NR/rdonlyres/69221BC0-9B0A-4032-9A4A-E762A7CECFEB/3201/HomogenousLeukoplakia.jpg

With people who chew, almost everyone will develop a corrugated white lesion called hyperkeratosis. Here’s an idea:

http://www.quittobacco.com/facts/mthcncr3.jpg

If you see ANYTHING abnormal, make sure he gets to his dentist to get it looked at.

Tell him that he is 5 times more likely to get periodontitis (severe gum disease), which has irreversible bone loss and can cause his teeth to get loose. Also, the massive amounts of bacteria associated with gum disease has been linked to heart disease and stroke as well.

If he ever has surgery, it will be difficult for him to heal. In fact, dentists will NOT place implants and most hospitals will reject regular surgery if the patient smokes. That means if he needs something done, he will simply be sent him. Period. They don’t mess around with it since smokers have such poor healing rates and sometimes even get worse after surgery because tobacco constricts blood vessels.

And his cancer risk is MUCH higher, of course.

Here are some good sites:

http://www.quittobacco.com/facts/effects.htm

http://www.quitsmoking.com/quitinfo.htm

http://www.tobaccofacts.org/tob_truth/index.html

http://quitsmoking.about.com/

kaboom111 says:

He should use some natural products, which can help quit smoking, a product which can relieve symptoms.