Quitting tobacco? We’re here to help.

As a healthcare practice, tobacco addiction is a concern we don’t take lightly. The CDC estimates approximately 450,000 Americans die from the long-term side effects associated with tobacco use each year. The use of tobacco greatly increases your chances of many dangerous and debilitating diseases. Smoking puts you at a much higher risk of having a stroke or heart attack, and developing emphysema and other serious and deadly lung diseases. It also increases your risk of mouth, lung, and many other dangerous and deadly cancers.

Why is smoking bad for you?

You’ve heard smoking is bad for you, but how exactly does it impact your health? Smoking negatively affects many aspects of your health. Here are just a few.

1. Smoking kills your lungs.

Each time you take a breath, your lungs are working hard to convert the air you breathe into pure, fresh oxygen. Smoking inflames and irritates lungs and kills lung tissue, making it harder for your lungs to work effectively. When your lungs are diseased from smoking, it’s much harder for them to provide you the oxygen your body needs. Cigarettes are full of toxic chemicals.

As if the act of inhaling smoke wasn’t already harmful enough, cigarette manufacturers also include a variety of toxic chemicals in their products. Each time you smoke a cigarette, you’re also inhaling the following:

  • Arsenic

  • Beryllium

  • Chloride

  • Chromium

  • Coal

  • Nickel

  • Silica

Arsenic is a known carcinogen, while nickel and chromium are common allergens. Smoking allows these chemicals to not only enter your body but also to reside in the lungs, making it harder for your body to function properly.

2. Smoking damages blood vessels.

Smoking damages your blood vessels, making it harder for your body to function effectively. Damaged blood vessels put you at risk for aneurysms as well as heart disease, stroke, and blood clots. Damaged blood vessels can also constrict, making it harder for your heart to pump blood to the rest of your body.

3. Tobacco ruins your smile.

In addition to the potential for developing oral cancer, smoking can cause yellow teeth and can even lead to tooth loss. Chewing tobacco in particular has been associated with high rates of oral cancer, cavities, and gum disease. Don’t ruin your pearly whites and risk losing your natural teeth due to tobacco.

4. Smoking is harmful to others.

If you didn’t have enough reasons to consider quitting, consider this: smoking is not only harmful to you; it is also harmful to others. Smoking has been shown to cause birth defects, and secondhand smoke can lead to asthma and allergies in others. Don’t put the health of your loved ones at risk.

We’re here to help.

Because smoking or chewing tobacco can have these serious effects on your health, we’re here to help you quit when you’re ready. To get help with quitting smoking or using tobacco, schedule an appointment with our team today.