The use of smokeless tobacco poses a huge health risk.There are two types of smokeless tobacco. They are dip or snuff, and spit tobacco. Dip refers to tobacco that is finely ground and available in small pouches/cans and used in dry or moist from. Spit tobacco is generally sold in loose leaf, twist or plug forms.
In both these types, the tobacco is placed between the gum and cheek to absorb the nicotine. With spit tobacco the user needs to spit out the saliva (brown-colored) that soaks in the tobacco. Before I give you the list let me give you a better understanding of how tobacco is a serious risk to your health.
Cancer-Causing Agent
It has been reported that smokeless tobacco contains a minimum of 28 carcinogens including formaldehyde, polonium 210, nitrosamines, cadmium and arsenic. I’m not quite sure what these are specifically but for all my data analyzers reading this, I know that can’t be good.
Tobacco Causes Mouth-Related Health Issues
Some studies have also shown that smokeless tobacco is responsible for various tooth decay, gum diseases, as well as leukoplakia- medical condition in which light-colored patches form on the inner side of the mouth that can later on become cancerous.
Tobacco in smokeless form contains over 3000 chemicals, most of which can be harmful to your body. Chew and dip forms of tobacco are as addictive as smoking cigarettes. In fact, if you hold only a pinch of chewing or dip tobacco inside your mouth for as long as 30 minutes, your nicotine intake will be the same amount as smoking 3 or 4 cigarettes.
Chewing Tobacco Regularly Can Lead To The Following Dangers:
Estimates show that in the US, at least 3.5% of total adults are addicted to smokeless tobacco. Of this, women account for 0.4% and men account for 6.8%. If you don’t quit dipping immediately, you can fall prey to any of the following serious medical conditions.
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- Neck And Head Cancer
- Chewing tobacco for a prolonged time period can also put the user at high risk of neck and head cancer, according to medical sources.
- Complications In Pregnancy
- Pregnant women can end up with stillbirth or early delivery risk if they take smokeless tobacco at the time of their pregnancy. Esophagus (tube carrying food to your stomach), pharynx (or throat), or mouth cancer
- Gums shrinking around the teeth
- Sores, cracked lips, white spots, as well as bleeding inside the mouth
- Increase in risk of stroke or heart disease
- This is by far the scariest result of them all to me. Your chewing habit can push you over the edge one day and in an instant its all darkness.
- Neck And Head Cancer
10 Crucial Way in Which Your Health Will Benefit from Quitting Tobacco:
If you have made up your mind about quitting tobacco, these are the immediate and long-term health benefits that you will enjoy.
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- Normalized Pulse Rate And Blood Pressure
- Within the first 20 minutes of pulling out, your pulse rate, body temperature and blood pressure will become normal.
- Increased Oxygen Level In Blood
- After 8 hours, the oxygen level in your blood will rise to become normal and the carbon monoxide level will drop.
- Lower Risk of Sudden Cardiac Arrest
- Once you’ve stay away from tobacco for 24 hours, the risk of a heart attack (sudden) also depletes.
- Senses Start Functioning Properly
- After 48 hours, the nerve endings in your body will start re-growing, and you will be able to taste and smell normally again.
- Improved Performance of The Body
- Within 2 weeks- 3 months, the blood circulation in your body will improve, and you will be able to breathe and walk better. Your wounds will start healing at a faster rate.
- Shortness of Breath
- After 1-9 months have passed, you will feel more energetic with an improvement in nasal congestion, fatigue, coughing and other symptoms related to tobacco chewing. Shortness of breath will also go away with time.
- Lower Risk of Coronary Disease
- Having quit tobacco for a year; your body will be at less risk of developing heart diseases.
- Reduced Mouth Cancer Risk
- After 5 years of pulling out of tobacco, you will at half the risk of contracting esophagus, mouth or throat cancer in comparison to someone who still chews tobacco.
- Lower Risk of Developing Lung Cancer
- When you are no longer addicted to tobacco for a decade, you will be at half the risk of passing away because of lung cancer in comparison to a smoker./li>
- Lower Erectile Dysfunction And Blood Clot Risk
- Staying away from tobacco also puts you at a lower risk of developing erectile dysfunction, and lowers your chances of developing blood clots in your legs than someone who is still addicted to tobacco.
- Normalized Pulse Rate And Blood Pressure
In the end, it’s YOUR DECISION:
It is not at all easy to quit dipping, more so if you’re trying to do it all by yourself. You need the assistance and encouragement of your doctor, and you can also find other resources, including programs both online and offline, to help you become successful in overcoming this addiction once and for all.