The Dentist’s Role in Smoking Cessation Management. Part 1.

What is it about?

In Europe, 29% of individuals identified as smokers, with tobacco use directly related to 650,000 mortalities each year across the continent; roughly 14% of all deaths. From a dental perspective, smoking is directly implicated in numerous chronic, and potentially life-threatening, sequelae which exclusively affect the oral cavity. By familiarizing the dental team with gold-standard cessation advice, it can be ensured that smokers are assisted at every available opportunity. Dentists should aim to give cessation advice to smokers based on how willing they are to change their smoking habit.

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Why is it important?

Dentists will see many smokers regularly, and advice should be given routinely to this cohort of patients. By improving understanding of potential oral sequelae and identifying individuals who may wish to quit, targeted advice can be offered to increase cessation success. Brief patient-centred advice ensures the highest chance of delivering successful smoking cessation, alongside safeguarding time for the dentist to examine and treat the individual.

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