Side Effects Of Chewing Tobacco & Treatments To Quit Chewing Tobacco

Chewing tobacco is also sometimes called splitting tobacco. Basically, it is seen that all types of chewing tobacco are held in the mouth either in the inner side of the cheek or in between the cheek and the gum. Nicotine is generally found in the chewing tobacco and as a result of that person who is in the regular habit of chewing tobacco develops mouth cancer. Let us look at the side effects of chewing tobacco.

Side Effects of Chewing Tobacco

Just like smoking, chewing tobacco is also injurious to health. The side effects of chewing tobacco are many.

Nicotine is present in the chewing tobacco in high amount and people who take it regularly or form a habit of chewing tobacco then you will develop various risk factors that include cancer in the cheek, gums, lips, tongue, etc. Apart from that, it is seen in the research that chewing tobacco also causes pancreatic cancer, esophageal cancer, stomach cancer, etc. Moreover, you can develop various types of gum disease or gum recession due to which it becomes necessary to pull the gum tissue out from the teeth. Overall, studies have reported that smokeless tobacco or chewing tobacco increases the risk of oral cancer, the severity of which can vary depending on the presence of cancer causing agents in the product.¹

Moreover, chewing tobacco may also cause leukoplakia in which white patches are formed inside the mouth which is cancerous. You can also develop abrasion due to which your teeth may fall. It also causes staining in the teeth or tooth decay. Thus, the side effects of chewing tobacco also extend to gum and tooth disease.

In recent research, it is seen that the side effects of chewing tobacco also include the increased risk of cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and can also cause stroke.² Apart from that, chewing tobacco may cause depression and disability to eat.

Treatments to Quit Chewing Tobacco

There is no denying that snuffing or chewing tobacco is a dangerous addiction and people should overcome from this addiction as soon as possible. There are various treatments available with the help of which it becomes possible to make a person free from the addiction to chewing tobacco. For example, chewing nicotine gum, nicotine patches or lozenges can be very effective in overcoming from the addiction of chewing tobacco. However, there are certain medications that help in quitting chewing tobacco.

Various programs and tobacco prevention steps are undertaken so that the people who are addicted to chewing tobacco can get rid of their addiction. For example, in the year 2015, the government of San Francisco banned the sale of chewing tobacco in their country at all the sports venues.³ Due to this preventive step, it is seen that the sale of chewing tobacco has substantially decreased in the country. Certain steps that work on marketing restrictions and promotion of tobacco products, when implemented can prove to be useful.⁴

Thus, it is evident that if the government of the country takes a proper step then it may become possible to save many people who are in the habit of chewing tobacco from cancer. Apart from this, it is also needed to promote nicotine replacement products in the country. Moreover, prescription medicine will also be very useful to overcome the addiction to chewing tobacco.

Conclusion

Thus, it is seen that there are many dangerous side effect of chewing tobacco. If you are in the habit of chewing tobacco it is very essential for you to overcome this habit; otherwise you can also become the victim of various dangerous diseases that are mentioned above. So before you develop any kind of disease try to quit chewing tobacco and it will prevent you from health issues such as heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure, increased heart rate, irregular heartbeats, brain damage, etc.

References

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Side Effects Of Chewing Tobacco & Treatments To Quit Chewing Tobacco