January 1, 2013 Dental Health: Smoking and Electronic Cigarettes
Stroll through almost any mall in America and you’ll stumble upon a kiosk peddling electronic cigarettes. The salesperson may boast that you can smoke electronic cigarettes anywhere, that they’re not nearly as dangerous to your health as traditional cigarettes, and that the effects of e-cigarettes are not as hard on your teeth. The real fact is that just like with traditional cigarettes, periodontal disease is a very real result of ingesting any form of nicotine into the body.
Nicotine is a vasoconstrictor, meaning it reduces blood flow. As a result, less oxygen and nutrients are fed to the gums. If less oxygen reaches the gums, a smoker has a higher probability of suffering from gum disease over their life. Regular dental hygiene visits to your dentist can help catch periodontal disease in its early stages and prevent unnecessary dental issues. Ultimately, the best prevention is to eliminate nicotine from your body.
Signs and Symptoms of Periodontal Disease:
Nicotine is a vasoconstrictor, meaning it reduces blood flow. As a result, less oxygen and nutrients are fed to the gums. If less oxygen reaches the gums, a smoker has a higher probability of suffering from gum disease over their life. Regular dental hygiene visits to your dentist can help catch periodontal disease in its early stages and prevent unnecessary dental issues. Ultimately, the best prevention is to eliminate nicotine from your body.
Signs and Symptoms of Periodontal Disease:
- Gum recession
- Bleeding or inflamed gums
- Loose teeth
- Persistent bad breath
- Sores in the mouth
- Tooth loss
Furthermore, smoking and chewing tobacco increase your risk of not only lung and throat cancer, but they can also yellow teeth. While teeth bleaching options are available, the best way to keep teeth sparkling white is to resist smoking or chewing tobacco.
Regardless of whether e-cigarettes are promoted as a “healthier” alternative to smoking, any form of nicotine puts your teeth, gums, and jaw at risk for dental health problems. The best method of preventing periodontal disease is to floss regularly, avoid nicotine, visit a dentist regularly, and eat well.
Dentistry's role in tobacco control
University of Florida College of Dentistry, Division of Public Health Services and Research, 1600 S.W. Archer Road, P.O. Box 100404, Room D8-38, Gainesville, Fla. 32610, USA. [email protected]
Abstract BACKGROUND: Cigarette smoking remains the nation's leading preventable cause of premature mortality. Tobacco use also is responsible for 75 percent of deaths resulting from oral and pharyngeal cancer, more than one-half of the cases of periodontitis and numerous other oral health effects.
METHODS: The author summarized the prevalence of tobacco use in the United States, evaluated recent literature on the status of tobacco control activities in dental schools and dental practice, and reviewed new guidelines on clinical and community-based interventions for tobacco use.
RESULTS: Nearly 25 percent of adults and 35 percent of high-school students smoke cigarettes, and many use other forms of tobacco. More than one-half of adult smokers and nearly three-fourths of adolescents see a dentist each year. However, more than 40 percent of dentists do not routinely ask about tobacco use, and 60 percent do not routinely advise tobacco users to quit. Meanwhile, less than one-half of dental schools and dental hygiene programs provide clinical tobacco intervention services.
CONCLUSIONS: At least 50 dental organizations have adopted policy statements about tobacco use, but much work needs to be done in translating those policy statements into action. Tobacco use remains prevalent in the United States, and dentistry has not yet maximized its efforts to reduce it.
PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: The recently issued U.S. Public Health Service guidelines on treating tobacco use and dependence provides evidence-based, practical methods for dentists and other primary care providers to incorporate into their practice. Because dentists and dental hygienists can be effective in treating tobacco use and dependence, the identification, documentation and treatment of every tobacco user they see need to become a routine practice in every dental office and clinic.
Abstract BACKGROUND: Cigarette smoking remains the nation's leading preventable cause of premature mortality. Tobacco use also is responsible for 75 percent of deaths resulting from oral and pharyngeal cancer, more than one-half of the cases of periodontitis and numerous other oral health effects.
METHODS: The author summarized the prevalence of tobacco use in the United States, evaluated recent literature on the status of tobacco control activities in dental schools and dental practice, and reviewed new guidelines on clinical and community-based interventions for tobacco use.
RESULTS: Nearly 25 percent of adults and 35 percent of high-school students smoke cigarettes, and many use other forms of tobacco. More than one-half of adult smokers and nearly three-fourths of adolescents see a dentist each year. However, more than 40 percent of dentists do not routinely ask about tobacco use, and 60 percent do not routinely advise tobacco users to quit. Meanwhile, less than one-half of dental schools and dental hygiene programs provide clinical tobacco intervention services.
CONCLUSIONS: At least 50 dental organizations have adopted policy statements about tobacco use, but much work needs to be done in translating those policy statements into action. Tobacco use remains prevalent in the United States, and dentistry has not yet maximized its efforts to reduce it.
PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: The recently issued U.S. Public Health Service guidelines on treating tobacco use and dependence provides evidence-based, practical methods for dentists and other primary care providers to incorporate into their practice. Because dentists and dental hygienists can be effective in treating tobacco use and dependence, the identification, documentation and treatment of every tobacco user they see need to become a routine practice in every dental office and clinic.
May 10, 2013 How Electronic Cigarettes Can Help You Quit Smoking
So, you have decided to start your smoke free journey and that is not an easy decision to make at all. The good news, that is probably the hardest bit over with, now you can look forward to better health, more money in the bank each month and ultimately a brighter future. The next step is to decide how you are going to make sure you stay away from smoking and this is where things can definitely get interesting. Firstly it is important to understand what your body and mind will go through over the coming weeks, this will give you an idea of what to expect and help you choose the right nicotine replacement tool for you. There is no getting away from it, smoking is one of the hardest habits to kick, but don’t let that get you down as millions of people have gone through it and come out the other side with ease. The most common withdrawal effects of quitting smoking last between 4 to 8 week and – according to Helpguide.org – they are;
Electronic cigarettes work by giving you a small dose of nicotine when a craving hits you, much like patches or the chewing gums available. The difference is that the dose of nicotine comes in the form of a liquid which is then inhaled and exhaled. They contain no smoke, you will only be inhaling water vapour, so you will be cutting out all the carcinogenic’s caused by cigarette smoke, but still feel like you are smoking. They contain a small battery within the main body, this is the electronic element, that can be charged as you would your mobile phone etc. It is this element that heats up the liquid nicotine, creating the water vapour inhaled.
One of the ways in which they will help you to eventually quit nicotine completely is by tackling the nicotine withdrawal whilst maintaining your metal state. Many people suffer mild depression and stress when quitting cigarettes, so by choosing to use an electronic cigarette, your mind will still feel like you are smoking whilst your body tackles the habit. Once your body has been through the withdrawal then you can work on your mental state.
The best bit? They are legal to be used anywhere! yes remember the days before the smoking ban came into force, well you can once again enjoy using your electronic cigarette within a bar, hotel or even on your daily commute. As they don’t contain any smoke, there is no hazard to the general public, making them legal and popular amongst the quitting smoking population. Along with this, you can also choose from a variety of flavours and colours of holders. Having these choices make the experience more fun and mean that you are more likely to stick to your plan in the long run.
So, how do you go about using them to eventually be 100% nicotine free? Simple, you start with a nicotine level, close to what you were inhaling when you were smoking, then every few weeks, you begin to lower the doses that you are buying. The same way you would do with patches, eventually leaving you inhaling no nicotine at all. So you are set, the most important thing to remember is why you are quitting. You will be saving your health, whilst at the same time saving money – there is nothing better than that!
www.health-host.co.uk/electronic-cigarettes-help-quit-smoking
- Physical and Psychological cravings
- Nausea
- Headaches
- Restlessness
Electronic cigarettes work by giving you a small dose of nicotine when a craving hits you, much like patches or the chewing gums available. The difference is that the dose of nicotine comes in the form of a liquid which is then inhaled and exhaled. They contain no smoke, you will only be inhaling water vapour, so you will be cutting out all the carcinogenic’s caused by cigarette smoke, but still feel like you are smoking. They contain a small battery within the main body, this is the electronic element, that can be charged as you would your mobile phone etc. It is this element that heats up the liquid nicotine, creating the water vapour inhaled.
One of the ways in which they will help you to eventually quit nicotine completely is by tackling the nicotine withdrawal whilst maintaining your metal state. Many people suffer mild depression and stress when quitting cigarettes, so by choosing to use an electronic cigarette, your mind will still feel like you are smoking whilst your body tackles the habit. Once your body has been through the withdrawal then you can work on your mental state.
The best bit? They are legal to be used anywhere! yes remember the days before the smoking ban came into force, well you can once again enjoy using your electronic cigarette within a bar, hotel or even on your daily commute. As they don’t contain any smoke, there is no hazard to the general public, making them legal and popular amongst the quitting smoking population. Along with this, you can also choose from a variety of flavours and colours of holders. Having these choices make the experience more fun and mean that you are more likely to stick to your plan in the long run.
So, how do you go about using them to eventually be 100% nicotine free? Simple, you start with a nicotine level, close to what you were inhaling when you were smoking, then every few weeks, you begin to lower the doses that you are buying. The same way you would do with patches, eventually leaving you inhaling no nicotine at all. So you are set, the most important thing to remember is why you are quitting. You will be saving your health, whilst at the same time saving money – there is nothing better than that!
www.health-host.co.uk/electronic-cigarettes-help-quit-smoking
Should the use of smoking cessation products be promoted by dental offices?
Should the use of smoking cessation products be promoted by dental offices? An evidence-based report
Brothwell DJ.Faculty of Dentistry, University of Manitoba, Manitoba, Canada.
Abstract To address the issue of whether dentists should promote the use of smoking cessation products, an evidence-based methodology was applied to find answers to 3 questions: Does tobacco use affect periodontal health? Are dentists effective cessation counsellors? Do smoking cessation products improve the effectiveness of cessation interventions? MEDLINE and manual searches uncovered relevant evidence to use in developing evidence-based recommendations. There is fair evidence that tobacco use is a major factor in the progression and treatment outcome of adult periodontitis and that quitting tobacco use is beneficial to periodontal health. There is good evidence to recommend that oral health professionals provide cessation counselling. There is good evidence to recommend the use of smoking cessation adjuncts. In view of the strong supporting evidence, dental offices should incorporate systematic smoking cessation services into routine patient care and should promote the use of proven cessation products by patients who are attempting to quit.
Effectiveness of tobacco counseling in the dental office. Department of Oral Medicine and Experimental Pathology, WHO Collaborating Centre for Oral Cancer and Precancer, Guy's, King's and St. Thomas' School of Dentistry, King's College London, UK. [email protected]
Abstract This article describes the results of studies among dental care providers regarding tobacco cessation in the past two decades. In the early period, surveys described what dentists were doing in their own practices. The results suggested that they were not adequately communicating to their patients the importance of quitting. There is good evidence that brief interventions from health professionals can increase rates of smoking cessation. The outcome from a number of trials that examined the feasibility of conducting smoking cessation in dental practices is reviewed here. The pivotal role of a team approach is highlighted in many studies. Dentists who implement an effective smoking cessation program can expect to achieve quit rates up to 10-15 percent each year among their patients who smoke or use smokeless tobacco. The challenge is implementing effective treatment in one's practice or institution while using available primary care resources to provide additional benefit.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11282035
Brothwell DJ.Faculty of Dentistry, University of Manitoba, Manitoba, Canada.
Abstract To address the issue of whether dentists should promote the use of smoking cessation products, an evidence-based methodology was applied to find answers to 3 questions: Does tobacco use affect periodontal health? Are dentists effective cessation counsellors? Do smoking cessation products improve the effectiveness of cessation interventions? MEDLINE and manual searches uncovered relevant evidence to use in developing evidence-based recommendations. There is fair evidence that tobacco use is a major factor in the progression and treatment outcome of adult periodontitis and that quitting tobacco use is beneficial to periodontal health. There is good evidence to recommend that oral health professionals provide cessation counselling. There is good evidence to recommend the use of smoking cessation adjuncts. In view of the strong supporting evidence, dental offices should incorporate systematic smoking cessation services into routine patient care and should promote the use of proven cessation products by patients who are attempting to quit.
Effectiveness of tobacco counseling in the dental office. Department of Oral Medicine and Experimental Pathology, WHO Collaborating Centre for Oral Cancer and Precancer, Guy's, King's and St. Thomas' School of Dentistry, King's College London, UK. [email protected]
Abstract This article describes the results of studies among dental care providers regarding tobacco cessation in the past two decades. In the early period, surveys described what dentists were doing in their own practices. The results suggested that they were not adequately communicating to their patients the importance of quitting. There is good evidence that brief interventions from health professionals can increase rates of smoking cessation. The outcome from a number of trials that examined the feasibility of conducting smoking cessation in dental practices is reviewed here. The pivotal role of a team approach is highlighted in many studies. Dentists who implement an effective smoking cessation program can expect to achieve quit rates up to 10-15 percent each year among their patients who smoke or use smokeless tobacco. The challenge is implementing effective treatment in one's practice or institution while using available primary care resources to provide additional benefit.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11282035