Great American Smokeout
You know smoking is bad for your health, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that cigarettes and chewing tobacco are also harmful to your oral health.
Some of the possible oral health impacts of smoking and tobacco use include:
- bad breath
- stained teeth and gums
- dulled sense of taste and smell
- slow healing after tooth extraction or other oral surgery
- difficulties in correcting cosmetic dental problems
- gum disease
- oral cancer
Quitting is the only way to decrease your risk of these and other tobacco-related health problems. The addictive quality of nicotine can make this especially difficult.
The Great American Smokeout, held on the third Thursday in November, challenges smokers to give up cigarettes for 24 hours.
A single day can help someone take the first step.
The US Surgeon General has said, “Smoking cessation [stopping smoking] represents the single most important step that people who smoke can take to enhance the length and quality of their lives.” Quitting is hard, but you can increase your chances of success with help. To learn about the available tools, call the American Cancer Society at 1-800-227-2345.
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