Pandemic Triggers Simultaneous Increase and Decrease in Tobacco Use
November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month. Research published in the June 2021 issue of Journal of General Internal Medicine found 32% of respondents used more tobacco, 37% used less tobacco, and 31% used the same amount of tobacco as prior to the pandemic. Researchers surmise those who smoked more may have done so due to stress and boredom, while those who smoked less may have done so because they feared contracting COVID-19. For the first time in two decades, cigarette sales increased, according to a report from the Federal Trade Commission.
Oral health professionals play a key role in helping patients quit tobacco. A new report, Smoking Cessation Counseling and Treatment: An American Dental Association Clinical Evaluators Panel Survey, appearing in the Journal of the American Dental Association, includes survey findings among dental providers, which include:
- Of the dentists who indicated they offer smoking cessation counseling or treatment, 90% said they were involved in those conversations with patients, either alone or with a dental team member
- 69% said they would be willing to prescribe pharmacologic agents to help with cessation.
- Out of all the respondents, 40% were aware smoking cessation counseling and treatment is part of most medical benefits, and 82% said they perform surgeries on patients who smoke, vape or use smokeless tobacco products, including extractions, periodontal surgeries and biopsies.
On average, smokers attempt to quit eight to 11 times before succeeding. Because dentists and dental hygienists often see their patients more often than physicians, oral health professionals are well positioned to provide tobacco cessation counseling.
