Pharmacotherapies for smoking cessation

Background: Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of premature death worldwide. The physical addiction to nicotine is a key factor in continued tobacco use. The current guidelines for tobacco cessation interventions include a pharmacotherapy program (nicotine replacement therapies and non-nicotine therapies). Health professionals who deliver smoking cessation interventions should give smokers accurate information and advise them on these pharmacotherapies. Objective: To review the pharmacological agents currently used to treat nicotine addiction. Methods: Original papers, reviews and current guidelines on this subject, published in English from 2000 to 2006, were located in the MEDLI…

Attitudes of Italian dental and dental hygiene students to tobacco-use cessation (TUC)

Tobacco use by adolescents and young adults: oral health effects and cessation strategies

Background: The use of smoking and smokeless tobacco worldwide has greatly increased in recent years, especially among adolescent boys and young men. Tobacco use can produce a wide range of negative effects on oral tissues, including periodontal tissue destruction and the onset of oral pre-malignant lesions. In the United States, major gains have been made to reduce smoking among adults. Similar gains, however, have not been realized with adolescents. In recent years, substantial interest has been directed to tobacco cessation studies with adolescents. The previously limited interest in adolescent cessation programs was attributable in large part to the mistaken assumptions that: (1) adoles…

Tobacco cessation or the treatment of tobacco dependence?

The role of oral health professionals in tobacco cessation

Tobacco is the major independent risk factor for the development of oral cancer and potentially malignant lesions. It is also involved in the pathogenesis of periodontal disease. The members of the dental team can play an effective role in tobacco preventing and cessation as they provide preventive and therapeutic services to a basically healthy population on a regular basis. In this paper, the authors present specific strategies to guide oral health professionals (i.e. dentist and dental hygienist) providing smoking cessation interventions. The “Five A’s” strategic approach represents a brief and effective protocol for smoking cessation that members of dental team can use with all patients…