Dentists should play a bigger role in helping patients to quit tobacco
Dentists should be able to play a bigger role in smoking cessation of their patients, according to the BDA. As part of their routine examinations, dentists look for cancer in the mouth. Dr. Clarke, of the BDA, is a proponent of a NHS contract change that pays NHS dentists for prevention of smoking and smoking cessation. Tobacco use is a major cause of mouth problems, with the rate of oral cancer increasing in the U.K. Dentists advocate stricter tobacco laws. They also observe the results of tobacco use almost daily.
Seventy percent of the individuals that smoke want to quit, but have difficulty doing so. By working together with doctors and other health organizations, dentists can play a bigger role in tobacco cessation. Half of the people use tobacco will die from this awful habit!
Join this Discussion