Quitting Tobacco: You can do it! Published Oct. 29, 2013 By Capt. (Dr.) Robert Brandt Aerospace Medicine Squadron Dental Clinic dentist FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. -- Do you smoke or use chewing tobacco? Rarely a day goes by without a magazine, newspaper, or TV news report carrying a message about tobacco related medical problems regarding the dangers of lung disease, cancer, heart problems and low birth weight babies. Perhaps you even tune out those messages because you don't want to quit just yet or you think you can't. Well, November is a great month to quit smoking. November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month and the Great American Smokeout is on Nov. 21. The Great American Smokeout occurs every year on the third Thursday of November and gives smokers a day to plan to quit smoking or a day to quit smoking. According to the American Cancer Society, "tobacco use remains the single largest preventable cause of disease and premature death in the U.S., yet more than 45 million Americans still smoke cigarettes." Tobacco is physically harmful and might have negative impacts on social life as well. Here are just a few reasons why: smelly breath, stained teeth, lung cancer, throat cancer, oral cancer, loss of teeth and jawbone, loss of taste, gum recession, outrageous cost, mouth sores and wrinkles! Remind yourself of the benefits of quitting. You'll reduce the risk of cancer. You'll have fuller taste and enjoyment of food again, you feel more relaxed without the jitters of nicotine, you won't be plagued by "smoker's breath," your sense of smell will be sharper and your family and friends will thank you. Here are some tips to get you started: · Get help from loved ones, friends and co-workers when going through the quitting process. · Ask another smoker to quit with you. · Call the Fairchild Health and Wellness Center regarding their tobacco cessation program or the American Cancer Society for support groups in your area. · Get ready by setting a date to quit. · Get help by talking to your dentist or medical provider about nicotine cessation aids. For more tips on quitting, call the HAWC at 509-247-5590 or the American Cancer Society's toll-free number at 1-800-4-Cancer.