Ashleigh’s Stoptober Story

Quitting smoking is one of the best things you’ll ever do for your health. Stoptober is a 28-day long event run every October which is set up to encourage people to stop smoking. The idea is that people pledge themselves to not smoke during the 28-day period, with a mindset of giving up altogether.

One of our team members Ashleigh has decided to share her Stoptober story, to try and raise awareness on the benefits of kicking the habit and how it can affect your teeth and gums. Ashleigh has now been smoke-free for over two and a half years.

How long did you smoke for and how many a day?

I started smoking at the start of 2012 and quit in 2017. So, for around six years I smoked ten to fifteen cigarettes a day. I initially smoked around five or six per day, but as time went by, I seemed to find myself looking for more excuses to pop out for a cigarette.

What made you want to quit?   

By the time I was smoking around fifteen cigarettes a day, I found that I wasn’t even enjoying most of them anymore, it was purely just a habit.

My sister had once been in hospital with heart and lung failure, so I had seen first-hand patients who were suffering from severe lung illnesses. Also, I didn’t want my sister to see me smoking after everything she had been through, so I knew it was time to quit.

How did smoking effect your Oral Health?

Until I stopped smoking, I didn’t realise how much it effected my Oral Health. My gums were quite pale where blood flow was reduced, and my teeth had noticeable stains. I also found my gums bled regularly when brushing. I also new that if I didn’t quit, it could lead to more severe problems such as periodontitis.

How did your Oral Health benefit from quitting smoking?

After I quit smoking, my taste buds started to come back fairly quickly, and I noticed that my gums were a much healthier colour. They also felt softer. Overall, my breath was better and my mouth felt so much cleaner.

I booked a dental hygiene appointment with my dental hygienist who cleaned and polished my teeth and removed years’ worth of stains. Just seeing the difference made me realise how much damage smoking really does do to your teeth and gums, especially in the long run.

What advice would you to people trying to quit?

I would advise anyone trying to quit to download the FREE Smokefree app. Having an app kept me motivated and it also included a counter that helped you track how long you had gone without a cigarette. As well as this, you can monitor your cravings and they give you so many tips and tricks to help you through tough days. I’m now over 2 years and 6 months smoke free.

Have you recently quit smoking?

Treat yourself to a hygiene appointment with one of our Dental Hygienists. A 45-minute treatment can remove years’ worth of stains and give you the confidence you deserve. Take a look below at one of our patients results.

One of our Bow Lane patients before and after their Hygiene treatment with our Dental Hygienist Brooke Shipp.