Smoking Cessation Advice

What does smoking do to you?

Smoking has many affects on your body, overall health and your teeth.

Heart and Blood:

• Your blood becomes thicker therefore this increase the chances of a clot forming
• Increases your blood pressure and heart rate which can lead to a heart attack or stroke
• Narrows your arteries reducing the amount of oxygen in the bloodstream
• Increases your risk of peripheral vascular disease (damaged blood vessels) and cerebrovascular disease (damaged arteries that supply blood to your brain)

Stomach:

• Increases your chance of getting stomach cancer or ulcers
• Smoking can weaken the muscle the controls the lower oesophagus and allow stomach acid to travel back up your oesophagus

Skin and Bones:

• Your skin ages more quickly and looks grey and dull because of the reduced oxygen getting to your skin
• The toxins cause cellulite
• Your bones become weak and brittle

Brain:

• Smoking increases your risk of having a stroke by 50%

Lungs:

• Smoking causes coughs, colds, asthma, pneumonia, emphysema and lung cancer

Mouth and Throat:

• Smoking causes bad breath
• Your teeth will be stained black with nicotine
• Can cause gum disease
• Damages your sense of taste

If you’re pregnant:

• Increases the risk of a miscarriage, still birth and SIDS by 25%

How quickly will you notice a difference?

• After 20minutes your pulse rate returns to normal
• After 8hours nicotine and carbon monoxide levels in the blood are reduced by more than half and oxygen levels return to normal
• After 48hours all of the carbon monoxide is removed from the body and the lungs start to clear out mucus. All of the nicotine has left the body as well.
• After 72hours breathing becomes easier and the bronchial tubes being to relax and energy level increase
• After 2-12 weeks your circulation improves
• After 3-9 months coughs and breathing problems improve because lung function increases up to 10%
• After a year the risk of heart disease is half of what it was when smoking
• After 10 years the risk of lung cancer is half of what it was when smoking
• After 15 years the risk of heart attack will fall to the same as someone who has never smoked

Why should you stop?

There are many reasons to stop smoking not only all the health benefits of stopping as stated above it will save you money. The average smoker spends £1,696 on cigarettes per year. Do it for your family; children and adults that breathe in second-hand smoke increases the risk of lung cancer by 24% and heart disease by 25%.

How can you stop?

There are many products that are available to help you stop smoking such as:

• Mouthsprays
• Patches
• Inhalers
• Chewing gum
• Lozenges
• Nasal sprays

You can always speak to your pharmacist, local GP or dentist about how to stop smoking. To book in with one of our therapists for advice on how to stop smoking click here.