Nicotine replacements like nicotine gum or patches can help when quitting chewing.
Chewing tobacco contains nicotine, an addictive stimulant that causes changes in the way a person thinks and acts. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that 12 to 14 million Americans use smokeless tobacco. More nicotine reaches the bloodstream from chewing tobacco than from cigarettes, according to Family Doctor. An estimated three percent of adults chew tobacco as of 2010, reports the University of Wisconsin Center for Tobacco Research and Intervention, and use is more common among men than women.
Brighter Smile/Healthier Gums
Chewing and spitting tobacco can cause cracking and bleeding lips and gums, as well as receding gums, according to KidsHealth. Effects also include bad breath and yellowing or browning of the teeth. KidsHealth also reports that approximately 70 percent of spit-tobacco users have mouth sores caused by the product. In addition, cavities are twice as likely in those who chew than those who do not because of the sugar in the tobacco.
Save Money
Chewing tobacco can cost upward of three dollars a can. If a person dips a can a day, that's more than $1,000 a year saved by quitting.
Reduce Cancer Risk
As of 2010, chewing tobacco contains 28 cancer-causing chemicals, according to the University of Wisconsin Center for Tobacco Research and Intervention. They add that three-quarters of mouth and throat cancers are caused by tobacco. The five-year survival rate for those diagnosed with mouth or throat cancer is less that 50 percent. Thick white patches develop on the lining of the mouths of 60 percent of chewers, reports Tobacco Free California. These patches, called leukoplakia, can turn into mouth cancer.
Reduce Heart Disease Risk
Nicotine is a stimulant, and thus increases heart rate and blood pressure. Blood vessels tighten and the heart has to work harder to pump blood needed by the body. These consequences can cause heart disease or high blood pressure over a period of time.
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