If you are trying to quit smoking, you deserve to be congratulated for your efforts. Your overall wellness and oral health will benefit! Unfortunately, you will likely experience cravings for quite some time after you smoke your last cigarette. The urge to smoke might be particularly strong at times when you were used to lighting up, such as during work breaks. How can you replace your cigarette breaks with wholesome activities? Here are some helpful tips:
Keep Your Mouth Busy with Something Else
Your mouth and fingers might feel restless if you are used to smoking at certain times. Try to keep your mouth busy with something else. For example, you could chew on some sugar-free gum or suck on a piece of sugar-free candy. Some people even find it helpful to snack on a dill pickle.
Seek Social Support
It is likely that your friends and family want to support you in your efforts to quit smoking. When you feel like reaching for a cigarette, try to seek social connection instead. You can call someone you care about, send a text message, or arrange for in-person interaction. Some people discover powerful motivation not to smoke when they spend time with a child whom they love, whether it is their own son or daughter, a niece or nephew, or the child of a dear friend.
Remind Yourself of the Benefits of Quitting
Many people who quit smoking do so for the sake of their health. However, there are many other benefits that you might experience. For example, since cigarettes are pricy, you can make plans for all the money you would have otherwise spent on smoking. Some people plan a grand vacation to congratulate themselves for being smoke-free for a certain length of time.
Another thing you could do is apply some fragrant lotion to your hands. While doing so, remind yourself that because you are not smoking, the people around you will get to enjoy a pleasant perfume instead of cigarette-related odors.
Do Something Productive
If you tend to thrive when you are busy, make a list of chores that you can take care of instead of smoking. For example, you might wash some dishes, organize some paperwork, wash your car, or work on cleaning out your basement or garage. Whatever you do, it should be engaging enough that it occupies both your mind and your hands.
Get Active
Since nicotine suppresses appetite, you might have a greater tendency to snack after you quit smoking. To reduce the risk of weight gain and prevent yourself from reaching for a cigarette, engage in some form of exercise. You could do a few sets of jumping jacks, go for a bike ride, or follow a free exercise video on YouTube. The possibilities are endless!
Quitting smoking can be a challenge. Keep yourself busy so you can resist the urge to light up a cigarette.
Meet the Practice
The team at Four Town Dental is proud to provide comprehensive oral care services for our community. If you are in the process of trying to quit smoking, we can provide support and help your oral health recover from any damage that your habit may have caused. To learn more about how we may be able to serve you, get in touch with our Enfield office at 860-856-6928.