Dentists target smoking dangers

White patches in the mouth can be an early warning

Dental teams at two Scottish universities are to be trained to try to help smokers quit the habit.

The move is part of a project aimed at tackling the serious oral health risks linked with smoking, such as cancer and gum disease.

Glasgow and Dundee dental hospitals have received £83,000 between them to give dental hygienists special training.

Rates of oral cancer have doubled in the last 15 years and smoking is linked with 90% of cases.

Research has also suggested that giving up smoking does more to cure gum disease than regular brushing.

While this particular project is taking place in the dental hospitals, our work will have implications for general dental practice

Viv Binnie
Glasgow Dental School

As part of a pilot project, the universities of Glasgow and Dundee will help patients to quit the habit.

This project has been funded by the new Partnership Action on Tobacco and Health (Path) project.

Path is managed by the national anti-tobacco organisation Ash Scotland.

Most patients will be referred from their dentist because they are already a high risk, such as those with potentially malignant spots.

Smokers can develop a condition called black hairy tongue

Patients will then be randomly allocated to one of two groups for smoking treatment, which include either nicotine replacement therapy, or behaviour change counselling.

When the study is complete, the dentists hope to discover what motivates people with mouth lesions to stop smoking.

Viv Binnie, of the dental public health unit at Glasgow University, said: "At the end of the project, we hope to understand how effective these two different types of smoking cessation advice are.

"While this particular project is taking place in the dental hospitals, our work will have implications for general dental practice."

If the pilot is successful it is hoped that more hygienists across the UK could receive similar training.