22/10/2024 16:29:10

Smoking cessation refers to the process of quitting the use of tobacco products, particularly cigarettes. It is vital that the entire dental team is educated in smoking cessation to provide the highest standards of care and support to all patients. With over 8 million deaths globally every year attributed to tobacco use, according to the World Health Organization, the need to address this issue is more important than ever.

Oral Cancer Risk Factors

Two of the main risk factors for oral cancer are smoking or tobacco use, and excessive alcohol consumption. It is important that both of these factors are recorded in a patient’s medical history, and this should be updated on a regular basis.

Smoking causes cancer in multiple ways. The main way is by damaging the DNA in our cells, and a build-up of DNA damage over time can lead to cancer.

Screening for oral cancer should be carried out on all patients, regardless of their tobacco use or alcohol consumption, but it is important to be aware that they both heighten the risk of developing the disease and patients should be educated in relation to this.

You can learn more about oral cancer in our dental eLearning course - Oral Cancer: Understanding Oral Cancer, the Risk Factors and Symptoms.

The Role of Healthcare Professionals

Healthcare professionals have a duty of care to act in patients' best interests and ensure they are fully aware of how life choices can affect their health and wellbeing.

There are several ways in which dentists and dental professionals are able to help in the dental setting:

• Raising awareness - ensuring information on the risks of smoking, such as heart attacks, and the benefit of quitting and staying smoke free is available.
• Encouraging regular attendance and monitored recalls for patients.
• Taking a comprehensive medical history on a regular basis, including social history such as smoking habits, and acting upon the findings.
• Participating in national events such as Stoptober and National Stop Smoking Day.

Dental Education to Support Smoking Cessation

Our new Smoking Cessation eLearning course provides the dental team with the knowledge to guide patients in quitting smoking, and includes information such as:

• the health risks associated with smoking, including staining of teeth, periodontal disease (such as tooth loss), and a range of cancers, including oral cancer
• the immense benefits of quitting for both oral and overall health
• practical strategies to support patients on their journey to becoming smoke-free.

Blue Stream Academy’s eLearning for Healthcare Professionals

Created in collaboration with top health and social care experts, Blue Stream Academy offers a variety of online training solutions that facilitate continual professional development (CPD), organisational compliance, and exceptional patient care. This is achieved by providing learners with access to engaging and current training materials, no matter their location.

Our newly launched dental training course is now accessible on the Dental eLearning and Management Platform. This platform equips dentists, dental nurses, dental hygienists, and other dental practitioners with an extensive selection of training courses to meet the General Dental Council (GDC) CPD standards. Upon course completion, every learner will receive a CPD certificate.

Click here to contact Blue Stream Academy's friendly team for more information on how to access our range of dental courses to support your dental care team or care setting.

Further Information on Nicotine Replacement Therapy

Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) is an effective method to help people stop smoking by reducing withdrawal symptoms and the urge to smoke a cigarette. NRT options include nicotine patches, nasal sprays, gum, and lozenges, which provide a controlled amount of nicotine to ease the transition away from smoking. These alternatives are designed to reduce dependence on cigarettes while minimising exposure to harmful chemicals found in tobacco. Engaging in physical activity can further help manage withdrawal symptoms and improve overall health. Additionally, reducing secondhand smoke exposure benefits both the smoker and those around them, contributing to a smoke-free environment. While NRT is generally well-tolerated, patients should be informed about potential side effects and encouraged to track their progress by monitoring the reduction in cigarettes smoked over time.