It’s been 2 months, 12 days, 16 hours, 2 minutes and 11 seconds, (not like I’m counting) since I’ve done it! Gave up the fags I mean, the tabs, the ciggies and the rollies!
I always classed myself as a part-time smoker, as I only smoked when I drank. But, when these nights happened, I chuffed away like a chimney. I loved ‘a wee smoke with ma pint.’ I started noticing, alongside other things, that after a heaving night or prolonged periods of smoking, I would get very sore gums and this would last for up to three or four days.
It was like a neuralgia and it just sat there picking away at my gums and generally being a pain.
Blood appearing in the sink after brushing is not a pretty sight to see. Also, my gums were very red and just looked ‘old,’ my teeth looked like tea-stained paper, my tongue looked and felt like sandpaper and of course, the bad breath!
It was time to give up!
So you can imagine that after over 15 years of on and off smoking that my oral health wasn’t the best. Through smoking, I have lost teeth and have ended up with very weak enamel. Believe me when I say it was, and still is, very hard to give up smoking, but the benefits are most definitely there:
- Being healthy for myself and my family
- No longer being the dad that sits out and doesn’t join in on sports day
- Being able to run better and reach my goals
- Saving money
- And of course, improved general and oral health!