Stopping starts today - quit smoking for good this Stoptober
Have you tried to quit smoking before and you found it hard to stick with it? Whether it's your first time or your fifth, Stoptober is the perfect time to give quitting a go - alongside thousands of others across the country.
Did you know that if you make it to 28 days smoke-free, you're 5 times more likely to quit for good? Stopping can help you:
- Improve your fitness and health
- Decrease your risk of cancer by half
- Reduce your stress and anxiety levels
You don't have to do it alone
We understand that this can be a lonely journey but it's much easier to stop smoking with the right support and there are lots of options to choose from - including a Stop Smoking Service, offered by North Northamptonshire Council and West Northamptonshire Council. The free service includes:
- A 12-week quit plan flexible to you
- Telephone or face-to -face appointments across Northamptonshire
- Free nicotine replacement therapy
- Tips on how to tackle cravings
- Support for every quit attempt, not just your first
This Stoptober, West Northamptonshire Council are also offering a prize giveaway - you could win Cobblers tickets when you sign up to their quitters club this October.
Don't forget your oral health
Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust's Specialist Dental Services are also encouraging tobacco users to take care of their mouths. Here are their top tips:
- Ensure regular visits to a dentist
- Brush your teeth twice a day for two minutes, with a fluoride toothpaste, ensuring that teeth are brushed last thing at night and at one other time.
- Aim to clean in between the teeth once a day
- Spit toothpaste out and avoid rinsing with water or a mouthwash
- Smokers are more likely to suffer with gum disease, so ensure gums as well as teeth are being cleaned daily too
- If you are using a mouthwash to freshen the breath, ensure it is alcohol free and is used at a completely different time to brushing
- Ensure any lumps, bumps and ulcers on the tongue, cheeks, gums or throat that stick around for longer than three weeks are checked by a health care professional, such as a dentist or a doctor
It is also important to remember that, whilst vaping is a great way to assist stopping smoking, please do ensure you choose flavourless options. Flavoured vapes often contain glycerine - a sweet liquid which can harm your teeth - similar to eating sweets.
Jasmine Little, from NHFT's Specialist Dental Services, said:
"Starting your smoke free journey during Stoptober is a great way of not only improving your health and wellbeing but also your oral health. Smoking is linked with numerous diseases within the mouth that have a negative impact on oral health including gum disease and tooth loss, bad breath, a dry mouth and serious conditions such as oral cancer. Switching to vaping is a good step to take in stopping smoking for good, but should not be used as a long-term replacement. We'd encourage anyone who needs support to stop for good to use the Stop Smoking Service - you can also access this service via pharmacies too.
"One shoe doesn't fit all when it comes to stopping smoking; different techniques work for different people. We hope Stoptober inspires smokers to make the step to a healthier lifestyle, and give up for good."
The sooner smokers quit, the sooner they will notice changes to their body and health. This is what happens when people stop smoking:
- After 20 minutes - Check your pulse rate, it will already be starting to return to normal
- After 8 hours - Your oxygen levels are recovering, and the harmful carbon monoxide level in your blood will have reduced by half
- After 48 hours - All carbon monoxide is flushed out. Your lungs are clearing out mucus and your senses of taste and smell are improving.
- After 72 hours - If you notice that breathing feels easier, it's because your bronchial tubes have started to relax. Also your energy will be increasing.
- After 2 to 12 weeks - Blood will be pumping through to your heart and muscles much better because your circulation will have improved
- After 3 to 9 months - Any coughs, wheezing or breathing problems will be improving as your lung function increases by up to 10 per cent
- After 1 year - Great news! Your risk of heart attack will have halved compared with a smoker's.
- After 10 years - More great news! Your risk of death from lung cancer will have halved compared with a smoker's.
Get started today
You can use the free NHS Quit Smoking app to track progress, see how much money you are saving and to get daily support. Download on Apple Store or Google Play.
You can also access a free personal 8-step quit plan. All you need to do is answer a few simple questions to start your smoke free journey - start now.
Get more advice on how to stop smoking at www.nhs.uk/better-health/quit-smoking