Forming healthy habits

Working in practice, we are no strangers to patients who smoke nor are we strangers to the ill effects of such habits on both oral and overall health. Despite the possible easy recognition opportunity in practice, sadly and to my dismay, most dental professionals shy away from smoking cessation advice. In this article, I would like to take you through the complexities and challenges faced with providing smoking cessation and offer guidance to actively ameliorate difficult scenarios rendering us more confident and competent professionals to deliver this care.

The effects of smoking are not foreign to healthcare professionals and the general public alike; it is well documented in the literature the sheer adverse effects smoking has on our general health such as an increase in the risk of cancer, chronic respiratory conditions, hearing loss, vision impairment, diabetes, heart disease, stroke and circulatory problems to name but a few.