Smoking is Dangerous for Your Mouth and Throat

If you smoke cigarettes, then you already understand the health risks for your lungs, but this habit is also dangerous for your oral cavity. The nicotine in tobacco can lead to cancerous growths inside your mouth or throat. One of the most important things that you can do for your overall well-being is to visit a dentist at least twice a year for a thorough examination. During your checkup, a dentist examines your gums, palate and tongue to find abnormalities that indicate that there are cancerous cells.

Four Tips to Quit Smoking

To avoid developing oral cancer, it is important for you to stop smoking because researchers know that over 60 percent of the individuals who have the condition are smokers. If you want to quit smoking, then here are a few valuable tips from experts.

One: Stop Buying Cigarettes

Throw away all of the cigarettes that are in your home, vehicle and workplace in order to stop smoking. To avoid the temptation of smoking again, do not enter the stores where you were accustomed to buying cigarettes.

Two: Stay Away From Other Smokers

It is a good idea to find a new group of friends to associate with to avoid a relapse back to smoking. If you smell smoke or see other people smoking, then your cravings for cigarettes increases, making it more difficult to break this bad habit.

Three: Clean Your Home and Vehicle

When your home and vehicle have a smoky odor, your body and mind will crave cigarettes more intensely. You should clean everything in your home and automobile completely to remove the scent of cigarette smoke that permeates carpets and upholstery fibers.

Four: Join a Support Group

To have additional help while quitting the smoking habit, join a support group. You should attend a meeting at least once a week, and if you can exchange contact information with other participants, then you will have more support when you are tempted to smoke a cigarette.

Continue to Have Oral Health Screenings

When visiting your dentist at Cardinal Dental Group in Dayton, Texas, make sure to inform them that you have quit smoking but still want to have an examination to check for the cancerous growths that are caused by smoking. By quitting the smoking habit, you are at less risk of developing oral cavity cancer in the future.