It is a common knowledge that smoking is dangerous to your health, most especially on your mouth, teeth and gums. And it is not only oral cancer that you have to think of. There are various oral conditions that can be caused by smoking such as mouth sores, gum disease and tooth decay. That is why it is imperative for you to quit smoking.

Yes, it is hard, at most times, impossible to just quit smoking. But as this trite, but very much true, adage goes “If there is a will there is always a way…” That is why the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research came up with 9 things that you can do to help you quit smoking today and they are as follows.

1.  Prepare yourself to quit smoking. Develop a mental attitude that says you are ready to quit, you are willing to do anything to quit and most of all, you really, really, really want to quit.

The best way to convince yourself 100% of this fact is to write the reasons why you want to quit. It can be due to health reasons, some hygiene reasons, protecting your loved ones or for self control and self improvement, it doesn’t matter what as long as this list will be able to motivate you to quit.

2.  Set your quitting day date. Don’t rush yourself and make this day TODAY. It can be tomorrow or next week or at most, next month. Make this a big deal date, something you have to prepare for. And while you are waiting for the arrival of this big day, cut your nicotine intake. If you smoke 1 pack a day, aim to reduce it until you only smoke 1 cigarette a day.

Remember – be sure not to stress yourself out for this quitting date.

3.   Don’t be alone on this. You will need to surround yourself with people who support you on this decision. These people can be your significant other, family and/or friends. And if you know someone who wants to quit smoking, you can quit with him or her too. Your dentist can also help you with this decision.

4.  Substitute is a good idea. If you find yourself craving for a cigarette, you can substitute it for something else, like candies or sunflower seeds. Go and ask your dentist or doctor about patches or nicotine gums to help ease the process of quitting smoking. If you feel you want to smoke, call a friend, do some exercise or deep breath and wait the craving out. The objective is to distract your mind from smoking. Make sure you don’t substitute food for a cigarette. Try to avoid foods with sugar and fat, if you have to , then choose healthy options.

5.  Know yourself. You have to identify what triggers you to smoke. Find the patterns when and how you smoke so you can prevent yourself from doing it.

6.  Develop a reward system for yourself. When you have already stopped smoking, you can pat yourself on the shoulder and treat yourself for a job well done.

7.  Stay active and create a new habit or change your daily routine. Exercise will do wonders for you.

8.  Take notice and enjoy the benefits you experience from not smoking like the clean smell of your clothes, the cleanliness and freshness of your room, the freshness of your breath and of course, the extra cash you add up to your budget.

9.  And finally, you have to keep proper oral hygiene with brushing and flossing, and keep up with your regular dental