It’s never too late to quit smoking and there are many benefits to be gained no matter what age you are when you give up. If you want to stop smoking, you can make small changes to your lifestyle that may help you resist temptation to light up.

1) Think positive

You might have given up before, but tell yourself that you’re really going to do it this time.

2) Make a plan to quit smoking

Make a promise, set a date and stick to it. Don’t be put off by a wedding, party or other time when you’d normally smoke.

3) Change your diet

Is your after-dinner cigarette your favourite? A US study revealed that some foods, including meat, make cigarettes more satisfying. Others, including cheese, fruit and vegetables, make cigarettes taste terrible. So swap your usual steak or burger for a veggie pizza instead.

4) Change your drink

The same study looked at drinks. Fizzy drinks, alcohol, cola, tea and coffee all make cigarettes taste better. So when you’re out, drink more water and juice. Some people find that simply changing their drink (for example, switching from wine to a vodka and tomato juice), affects their need to reach for a cigarette.

5) Identify when you crave cigarettes

A craving can last five minutes. Before you give up, make a list of five-minute strategies. For example, you could leave the party for a minute, dance or go to the bar. And think about this: the combination of smoking and drinking heavily raises your risk of mouth cancer by 38 times.

6) Tell everyone that you are giving up smoking

If friends or family members want to give up too, suggest to them that you give up together. A team effort may be easier than going it alone.

7) Get moving

A review of scientific studies has proved that exercise (even a five-minute walk or stretch) cuts cravings and may help your brain to produce anti-craving chemicals.

8) Make non-smoking friends

When you’re at a party, stick with the non-smokers. When you look at the smokers, don’t envy them. Think of what they’re doing as a bit strange – lighting a small white tube and breathing in smoke.

9) Keep your hands and mouth busy

Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) can make you twice as likely to succeed. As well as patches, there are tiny tablets, lozenges, gum and a nasal spray. If you like holding a cigarette, use an inhalator. Try putting your drink in the hand that usually holds a cigarette, or drink from a straw to keep your mouth busy.

10) Write a list of the reasons why you want to stop.

Keep reminding yourself why you gave up. Make a list of the reasons and read it when you need support.

There are more than 6,500 new people each year in the UK who suffer from mouth cancer- that’s 18 people diagnosed every day.

Experts believe these figures are set to rise, and the fact remains that action needs to be taken collectively to reduce growing incidence and mortality rates. Even with vast advances in technology, without early detection half will die. By visiting the dentist on a regular basis we can catch the disease early and transform survival rates by 90 per cent.

The groups of people at risk of mouth cancer are more diverse than they have ever been. Mouth cancer is traditionally been a risk for people over 45, tobacco and alcohol users but new research shows a younger population increasingly at risk and a rising threat of cancer transited by oral sex, through the human papilloma virus (HPV). The disease is no longer predominately a problem for men. The proportion of women contracting the disease has steadily increased.

Do you know the causes?

• Smoking

It is still considered to be the leading cause of mouth cancer in the UK. Tobacco transforms saliva into a deadly cocktail that damages cells in the mouth and can turn them cancerous.

• Alcohol

Studies show that alcohol is another major cause of mouth cancer. Excessive consumption is linked to more than third of mouth cancer cases in men and a fifth in women. Heavy drinkers and smokers are up to 35 times more at risk, as alcohol aids the absorption of tobacco into the mouth.

• Smokeless tobacco

The types of smokeless tobacco products most used in the UK often contain a mix of ingredients including slaked lime, arceca nut and spices, flavourings and sweeteners. The main types are Gutka, Pan Masala and Mawa.

Smokeless tobacco is used particularly by South Asians communities.

• The Humam Papillomavirus (HPV)

HPV, transmitted through sexual activity, is increasingly being linked to mouth cancer and is considered to be a direct cause of the rise in cases among younger people.

• Poor diet

Around third of cases are thought to be linked to an unhealthy diet. It is recommended that people eat a healthy, balanced diet including five portions of fruit and vegetables each day.

Do you know the signs and symptoms of mouth cancer?

Mouth cancer can strike in a number of places, including the lips, tongue, gums and cheek.

Often, signs and symptoms of mouth cancer are not painful. The most common signs are:

• An ulcer in your mouth or on your tongue which does not heal in three weeks.
• Red and whites patches in the mouth
• Unusual lumps or swellings in the mouth or head and neck area.

Early detection is so crucial with mouth cancer, it’s vitally important everyone knows the signs and symptoms.

It’s is so important that you have a regular dental health check because the dentist at Smile Essential Leicester can often spot the early stages of mouth cancer.

Please call and book your dentists appointment for your Mouth Cancer check today on 0116 289 1317.