A-Z topics

smoking (tobacco) cessation

Mark Twain once said, "Quitting smoking is easy. I've done it a thousand times." Quitting tobacco is difficult because all forms of it—cigarettes, cigars and spit (chewing) tobacco—contain nicotine and nicotine is the agent in tobacco that's capable of causing addiction or dependence. Dentists and dental professionals can help their patients quit once and for all.

Check out the Additional Resources section below for free materials and information for your office and patients.

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ADA News

• 'Is it a trusted source?' (Jan. 11, 2007)
• Youth smoking prevention programs common but under used: study (Dec. 1, 2006)
• Asthma risk increases fourfold among teens who smoke: study (Nov. 15, 2006)
• Getting tobacco under control (Oct. 6, 2006)
• Decline in smoking rates among high school students stalls (Sept. 11, 2006)
• Tobacco-use cessation strategies underused (July 31, 2006)
• Exposure to secondhand smoke unsafe at any level: Surgeon General (July 6, 2006)
• Dentists and tobacco use cessation (Jan. 12, 2006)
• Tooth Loss and Cardiovascular Disease (Jan. 9, 2006)
• JADA examines dentists' role in tobacco cessation (Aug. 10, 2005)
• Helping patients quit tobacco (July 7, 2005)
• ‘What is Our Role?’ Oral-Medical Relationship Explored (June 16, 2005)

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The Journal of the American Dental Association
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• Tobacco-Use Cessation Strategies Underused (August 2006)
• Cox-2 Levels In Smokers Linked To Oral Cancer (April 2006)
• Tobacco Still is Oral Health Enemy Number One (February 2006)
• Knowing How to Help Tobacco Users: Dentists’ Familiarity and Compliance With the Clinical Practice Guideline (February 2006)
• The Relationship Between Cigarette Smoking And Perceived Dental Treatment Needs In The United States, 1988–1994 (February 2006)
• Water Pipe Smoking Poses Periodontal Disease Risk (January 2006)
• Smoking Cessation: No Longer a Choice (August 2005)
• How Well Does the Health History Form Identify Adolescent Smokers? (August 2005)
• On the Primary Care Frontlines: The Role of the General Practitioner in Smoking-Cessation Activities and Diabetes Management (August 2005)
• Controlling Oral and Pharyngeal Cancer: Can Dental Professionals Make a Difference? (May 2005)
• Preventing and Detecting Oral Cancer: Oral Health Care Providers’ Readiness to Provide Health Behavior Counseling and Oral Cancer Examinations (May 2005)
• The Impact of a Brief Tobacco-Use Cessation Intervention in Public Health Dental Clinics (February 2005)
• The Use of ‘Academic Detailing’ to Promote Tobacco-Use Cessation Counseling in Dental Offices (December 2004)
• Smoking During Pregnancy Linked To Orofacial Clefts (September 2004)
• The New Blood Pressure Guidelines (May 2004)
• Smokers Should Quit Before Dental Procedures (January 2004)
• Secondhand Smoke, Caries Linked in Children (July 2003)
• Alcohol Abuse and Dependence: Psychopathology, Medical Management and Dental Implications (June 2003)
• Dentistry’s Role in Tobacco Control (November 2001)
• For the Dental Patient—Oral Cancer: How to Protect Yourself (September 2000)
• Tobacco or Oral Health: Past Progress, Impending Challenge (August 2000)
• Tobacco-Use Prevention and Cessation: Dentistry's Role in Promoting Freedom From Tobacco (August 2000)

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ADA Positions & Statements

• Summary of Policy and Recommendations Regarding Tobacco: (1964–Present)
• CAPIR Statement Opposing the Use of Smokeless Tobacco as a Smoking Cessation Technique

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Oral Health Education Videos
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ADA Dental Minute

• Dangers of Spit Tobacco: Broadband/1.8MB | Dial up/317k
• Gum Disease: Broadband/753k | Dial up/322k
• Join the Great American Smoke-Out: Broadband/748k | Dial up/260k
• Smokeless Tobacco: Broadband/1.7MB | Dial up/257k
• Why Do Teeth Darken?: Broadband/744k | Dial up/257k

Public Service Announcements

• The Hazards of Smokeless Tobacco (With Cal Ripken, Jr):
  Broadband/143k | Dial up/112k

Video News Release

• Cigars: What's So Cool About Bad Breath, Stained Teeth and Oral Cancer?: Broadband/1.0MB | Dial up/212k

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Additional Resources
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For Dental Professionals—Implement in-office tobacco cessation strategies.

• Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence: A Public Health Service Clinical Practice Guideline 2008 Update Now Available!
  This document contains evidence-based strategies and recommendations designed to assist clinicians; tobacco dependence treatment specialists; and health care administrators, insurers, and purchasers in delivering and supporting effective treatments for tobacco use and dependence.
  
  
• Handheld Computer Smoking Intervention Tool
  The National Cancer Institute's Handheld Computer Smoking Intervention Tool (HCSIT) is designed for clinicians to assist with smoking cessation counseling at the point-of-care. This easy-to-use program can be used with both Palm® and MicrosoftTM Pocket PC handheld computers.
  
  
• Tobacco Cessation—You Can Quit Smoking Now!
  The latest counseling techniques and drug information for treating tobacco use and dependence are available from the Office of the U.S. Surgeon General. Many resources are available in Spanish.
  
  
• Help Your Patients Quit | PDF file/122k
  A reference card for professionals with tobacco cessation tips and options for pharmacotherapy.
  
  
• University-supported continuing education and office tobacco cessation interventions for healthcare professionals who are interested in incorporating nicotine dependence treatment into their practice:
  • Dental Practice-Based Research Network
  • Mayo Clinic
  • University of California at San Francisco
  • University of Michigan
  • University of Minnesota

For Patients—Direct your patients to self-help tobacco cessation tools.

• National Network of Tobacco Cessation Quitlines
  800-QUITNOW (800-784-8669) TTY 800-332-8615
  The toll-free number is a single access point to the National Network of Tobacco Cessation Quitlines. Callers can speak with a counselor to receive help with quitting smoking, informational materials and referrals to other sources.
• You Can Quit Smoking
  The You Can Quit Smoking Kit from the U.S. Surgeon General’s Office is a one-stop source for information to help smokers become tobacco-free. It contains guideline products designed specifically for consumers that are available in English, Spanish, and easy-to-read formats.
  
• Quitting Spit Tobacco
  Spit tobacco, also known as dip and chew, snuff, chewing tobacco, and smokeless tobacco, comes in two forms. But no matter what it’s called, spit tobacco is highly addictive and can harm your health. This Web site is sponsored by the National Institute for Dental and Craniofacial Research.
• American Lung Association
  Smoking cessation support is available from the American Lung Association.
  
• You Can Quit Smoking Now!
  This Web site (Smokefree.gov), developed by the National Cancer Institute, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institutes of Health and others, provides information and professional assistance to help support the immediate and long-term needs of people who want to quit smoking. The site provides:
  • An online step-by-step cessation guide
  • A link to the national telephone quitline
  • NCI's instant messaging service
  • Publications, which may be downloaded, printed, or ordered

• Guide to Community Preventive Services: Tobacco Use and Control, CDC
  This guide, sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, provides recommendations to decision makers about the types of interventions most appropriate for reducing tobacco use and exposure for different populations. Recommendations are based upon the strength of the evidence for each intervention type according to a systematic review process and are helpful to decision makers when selecting an intervention for specific groups or individuals.
  
  
• Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids
  The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids works to reduce tobacco use worldwide. By working to affect change in public attitudes and public policies on tobacco, they strive to prevent kids from smoking, help smokers quit and protect everyone from secondhand smoke.
  
  
• Tar Wars
  Tar Wars, sponsored by the American Academy of Family Physicians is designed to educate students about being tobacco-free, provide them with the tools to make positive decisions regarding their health, and promote personal responsibility for their well-being. Information on classroom presentations is available.
  
  
• American Legacy Foundation
  The American Legacy Foundation is dedicated to building a world where young people reject tobacco and anyone can quit. Its two goals are to arm all young people with the knowledge and tools to reject tobacco and to eliminate disparities in access to tobacco prevention and cessation services. The Foundation’s Great Start program is the first national media campaign and toll-free quitline number to help pregnant women quit smoking. Pregnant women who want to quit smoking can obtain free, confidential counseling in English and Spanish by calling toll-free 1-866-66-START.

Literature on Tobacco Use

• Chewing tobacco: Not a risk-free alternative to cigarettes
  The Mayo Clinic says get the facts about chewing tobacco. It’s more dangerous than you think.
  
  
• Smoking and Cancer
  This National Cancer Institute site offers a wide range of information for the public, professional and researcher on quitting smoking and spit tobacco and well as tobacco-related research.
  
  
• U.S. Surgeon General
  The U.S. Surgeon General has issued numerous reports on the adverse health effects of tobacco. A complete list can be found on the Surgeon General Web site . Most recent reports are:
  • The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke: A report of the Surgeon General (2006)
  • The Health Consequences of Smoking: A Report of the Surgeon General (2004)
  • Women and Smoking: A Report of the Surgeon General (2001)
  • Reducing Tobacco Use: A Report of the Surgeon General (2000)
  • Oral Health in America: A Report of the Surgeon General (2000)

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