Now Is A Great Time To Prepare To Quit Smoking With Help From Kent Smile Studio!
Cancer Research UK statistics tell us that cancer is the number 1 preventable cause of deaths in the UK. Despite that shocking fact, nearly 20% of adults in the UK still smoke.
The good news is, that reports in the papers over the last few years show that the number of smokers is decreasing, and slowly, more and more people are taking the decision to ditch the cigarettes and improve their health immensely.
If you do smoke but want to quit, your Kent Smile dentist is here to support you! Quitting can be difficult and the more support and help you can get with it, the better. Whether it is your first time trying to quit, your tenth time, or you’re still not sure if you can do it yet, now could be a great time to start thinking about a quit date. Dr Shushil Dattani of Kent Smile Studio looks closer below.
Why Now?
It is September, which is the month before the famous Stoptober where people try to quit smoking for the whole month of October. It is an excellent time to quit smoking because you will be doing it with thousands of other people across the country. However, even if Stoptober isn’t right for you, now is a great time to think about quitting smoking as we will quickly be going into 2019 and the New Year is always an excellent time for a fresh start. The time has to be right for you, and we hope here at your Maidstone dental clinic that we can help be an extra form of support and information in your journey to quitting smoking for better health.
Why Quit Smoking?
When you are addicted to nicotine, your brain makes you think that smoking feels nice, and it is also a social habit where lots of people go to the smoking area and enjoy chatting to other smokers. Smoking also comes with a lot of routine for many people, where you enjoy a cigarette after a coffee, or you have your first cigarette at a certain point on the way to work. It becomes such a part of your life that, it can be easy to feel like you’ll never quit. However, every single cigarette causes damage, and each and every cigarette is potentially shaving years off your life. The more you know exactly how bad cigarettes are for your health, and in some instances the health of others around you, the more reasons you have to quit for good.
What Smoking Does To Your….
Circulation
Smoking makes your blood thicken and makes you more likely to get a blood clot. It makes your blood pressure and heart rate rise and it narrows your arteries.
Heart
Smoking causes damage to your heart by damaging the lining of your arteries, by putting a strain on your heart and doing other long term damage that can double your chance of having a heart attack compared to that of a non smoker.
Stomach
When you smoke you are more likely to get ulcers or worse, stomach cancer. You are also much more likely to cancer of the kidneys.
Skin
Smoking stops a lot of oxygen getting to the skin, making it appear grey and dull. Smoking can also cause cellulite and premature ageing. Smokers lines are a common side effect of smoking, where lines present around the mouth caused by the sucking motion that occurs with smoking.
Brain
Smoking puts you at a higher risk of having a stroke, in fact you’re 50% more likely to have a stroke than a non smoker and you’re more likely to die from that stroke too.
Lungs
The lungs get a rough ride when you’re a smoker. You’re more likely to get coughs and colds and other illnesses. You can then go on to suffer with emphysema and lung cancer or COPD which is a collection of painful lung conditions.
Fertility
Men can struggle with getting an erection when they smoke as the toxins in the cigarette damage the blood vessels that take blood to the penis. Men are also more likely to have a lower sperm count when they smoke. Women can also suffer with a reduction in fertility when they smoke and do find it more difficult to get pregnant. Smoking also increases your risk of getting cervical cancer because you are less able to fight the HPV virus which can mutate into cancer. Smoking whilst you are carrying a baby can lead you to miscarry, suffer from early labour, and it is known to increase the risk of cot death by 25%.
Why Your Maidstone Dentist Cares
We care about your overall health, but we have a focus on your oral health which is affected in many different ways by smoking.
Smoking can cause bad breath, stained teeth and it can make you more likely to get gum disease. Smoking can also make you much more likely to get throat or mouth cancer. In fact, Cancer Research UK statistics show more than 60% of oral and neck cancers are caused by smoking.
Thinking Of Quitting?
If you do think that you might set a quit date, congratulations, you’re moving towards an incredible change for your health that you will not regret. Here are our top tips for preparing to quit smoking:
- Seek Help – Your pharmacy, your doctor and lots of online resources like NHS Smokefree and Stoptober are all available to help and support you.
- Set A Date – This will allow you to mentally prepare for the challenge, and to commit to it too.
- Prepare For Triggers – Certain things will make you want a cigarette much more than other things. Having a coffee, being around other smokers, and first thing in the morning are all common times people most want a cigarette. Think what can you do to avoid or cope with those triggers.
- Let People Know – If your friends and colleagues know you are trying to quit, they won’t ask you if you want to go outside for a cigarette, or smoke around you.
It may also be a good idea to speak to your local dentist. We have lots of tips and tricks to help you quit smoking. We also get lots of patients who book in for a treatment like teeth whitening or a smile makeover for 3-6 months following their quit date. This can serve as an incentive for quitting smoking, as not only do you want that beautiful smile free from the signs of smoking, but you want to avoid smoking afterwards so you don’t reverse the effects of the treatment.
Please call us on 01622 754662 and we will be delighted to book you an appointment at a time to suit you. We are here to support you in quitting smoking and bettering your overall health, and especially your oral health for life!
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