In addition to its well-known harmful effects on the lungs and heart Smoking tobacco has serious adverse effects on oral health. Dental health professionals have an excellent opportunity to help reduce smoking and tobacco use. The aim of this study was to evaluate two interventions intended to increase the implementation of tobacco use prevention and [read the full story…]
Following on our story last week about nicotine replacement gum improving tooth staining my colleague the Lifestyle Elf has highlighted the latest evidence from the Cochrane Collaboration on interventions for tobacco cessation in dental settings. Tobacco use has signification negative effects on the oral environment and dentists have a unique opportunity to help their patients [read the full story…]
In addition to being a risk factor for mouth cancer and periodontal disease, smoking is associated with staining of the teeth. Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) is widely used to assist patients quit smoking. In vitro tests of NRT gum have suggested that they may have stain reduction effects. A product which not only assists smokers [read the full story…]
Today’s blog comes courtesy of my friend and yours, the Lifestyle Elf: “Mr Watson, come here, I want you”. These are the first intelligble words transmitted over a telephone, by Alexander Graham Bell to his assistant, back in 1876. Nowadays, any observer of ears in the street will see a large proportion attached to mobiles; [read the full story…]
Some readers will be aware that the Mental Elf is no loner. I have a number of elfin cousins who also run websites that help busy professionals keep up to date with the latest research, policy and guidance in their field. One such site is The Lifestyle Elf, and she has written a blog recently [read the full story…]
This Cochrane systematic review examined the effectiveness of electronic health record-facilitated interventions on smoking cessation activity by clinicians and on patient smoking cessation outcomes. The review shows these interventions improve the documentation of tobacco use and referral to cessation counselling, but does not demonstrate an improvement in patients actually giving up smoking. While smoking rates [read the full story…]
We know from epidemiological studies that people with schizophrenia are 2-3 times more likely to smoke than the rest of the population. We also know that schizophrenia is associated with a higher risk of coronary heart disease. This retrospective cohort study carried out by researchers from the University of Maryland set out to explore the impact [read the full story…]
I’ve blogged before about mental health and smoking cessation, so I was interested to read about this new review on the subject published by a researcher in Spain, which aims to assess the best way for adults with major depression, schizophrenia and psychosis to give up smoking. The review searched a very wide range of [read the full story…]
This report from the NHS Information Centre contains results from an annual survey of secondary school pupils in England in years 7 to 11 (mostly aged 11 to 15). 7,296 pupils in 246 schools completed questionnaires in the autumn term of 2010. The National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) and the National Foundation for Educational Research [read the full story…]
There’s an interesting article in the New England Journal of Medicine today, all about the relationship between mental health and smoking cessation. The author provides some historical perspective and also highlights the recommended treatments for tobacco dependence and the evidence base for use in smokers with mental illness. Judith J. Prochaska, Ph.D., M.P.H. Smoking and [read the full story…]
