Tag: Tobacco

Emerging Role of Dental Practices in Oral Cancers

A Round Table Discussion titled “Emerging role of Dental Practices in Oral Cancer” was conducted at Max Hospital Vaishali on 8.8.2021. The occasion was to mark World Head and Neck Day which is observed every year on twenty-seventh July.

The round table between Dental practitioners and Oncologists discussed the importance of collaboration between the two groups to change the dismal presentation and prognosis of oral cancers. The event was organized at MAX Vaishali in collaboration with Santosh deemed to be University, ICanCaRe, and Indian Dental Association.

Dr. Pawan Gupta, Director Head, and Neck, Max Healthcare said 97 % of oral cancer patients if detected and treated early can survive more than 5 years. However, sadly most of the oral cancers present to the oncologists at a very late stage with only 20 % surviving for 5 years. Oral Cancers are easily detected, easily treated, and importantly easily prevented. The cause of oral cancers chiefly – tobacco (smoking and non-smoking), alcohol, sharp teeth, ill-fitting dentures can be easily taken care and this disease can be prevented.

Dr. Amit B Lal, Professor Santosh Dental College stressed the need for collaboration amongst the dental profession to create awareness amongst the public about oral cancers.

At MAX Vaishali an Oral Care and Tobacco cessation center was established to take care of oral cancer patients from screening, oral care, and rehabilitation before, after, and during treatment and also protocol-based tobacco Cessation intervention program.

Dr. Harshita Pandey, the specialist taking care of the oral care program at Max Vaishali said “patients come at various stages and invariably they need oral and dental care. With the establishment of this center in MAX the patients are better rehabilitated and have fewer complications during treatment as well.” Many small suspicious lesions have been detected during screening and patients treated on an OPD basis itself.

It was decided that in a collaboration understanding community program would be conducted by a team from Santosh Dental College and MAX Vaishali as per digitalized protocol established by ICanCaRe.

The Round Table was Inaugurated by Dr. Meenu Walia, Chief Clinical Head and Sr. Director MAX Health Care EZ, and Dr. Umesh Sharma, President-Elect -IDA-UP in presence of dignitaries from various Dental Colleges – IDS, Sharda, etc.

The co-convenor of the event Dr. Sanjeev Tomar conducted the event with dignitaries – Dr. Neeraj, Dr. Gagan, Dr. Sowrabh Dr. Rashi, Dr. Prekshi, Dr. Safalta, Dr. Deepankar, Dr. Gurjap, Dr. Sachin, Dr. Abhishek Rathi, Dr. Vidhi Rathi, Dr. Hemkant Verma, and Dr. Hemant Sawhney.

The Round Table ended with the participants asking for more such discussions in the future.

For Quitting Tobacco call Helpline 011-43077695.

Download the Android ICanCaRe App – https://app.icancare.in

Dr. Pawan Gupta M.Ch. Director Head and Neck, MAX Superspeciality Hospital, Vaishali and Founder ICanCaRe as Convenor of the Round Table on “Emerging Role of Dental Practices in Oral Cancers
Inauguration of the Round Table on “Emerging Role of Dental Practices in Oral Cancers”
Round Table Discussion Round 2 – Challenges of Collaboration at the “Emerging Role of Dental Practices in Oral Cancers”

Relapse is just not Will Power, but Environment As well

LEWINS EQUATION TO MAKE YOU A TOBACCO WINNER!

Kurt Lewin in 1936 gave a very simple formula an equation which said behaviour is a function of the person in the environment. What it means is – the habit or behaviour of a person is just not dependent on a person’s character but it also depends on the environment one is exposed to.

This is very much true with tobacco also whether it is smoking or chewing.

Both your personality and environment determines the good habits you would build, bad habits you would break and the way you would progress in life.

A person who is into the action phase of quit cycle, relapses not just because he is born with low will power but mostly because of the environment.

Tobacco addiction has three important components – PHYSICAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL, SOCIAL.

Determining the level of Physical addiction and controlling it with medication when necessary is the first step. But a major component is also the Psychological and Social environment. Psychological or mental strength is a must but at the same time you need to be surrounded with a healthy environment and motivational materials to keep you strong and constantly remind you and strengthen your will power.

Your social environment is one major determinant of your long journey of tobacco cessation – your friend circle, the party time, office colleagues, the pan shop etc. may trigger you to try once again. One slip will take you back to the bottom of the stairs you have climbed so far in your quit cycle. Keep track of your triggers, it is important. I will talk about triggers in subsequent blogs.

Anyone who is into a wrong habit we should help before the early signs of tobacco harm sets in. The advance harms are really dangerous.

The book WIN OVER TOBACCO MADE EASY would be of help.

A word of caution – the teachers, school counsellors, parents should be aware how to deal with such situation. I will talk about it in my subsequent blogs.

Your Environment Influences Your Tobacco Habit

Kurt Lewin in 1936 gave a very simple formula an equation which said behaviour is a function of the person in the environment. What it means is the habit or behaviour of a person is just not dependent on a person’s character but it also depends on the environment one is exposed to.

This is very much true with tobacco also whether it is smoking or chewing.

Let us see an example – the beginning of tobacco depends very much on the person but also the environment he or she is exposed to at home or at the school or college. If someone at home takes tobacco whether chewing or smoking (a very common at home in north India is hukkah), one is likely to start tobacco.

During my medical study, the hostel was divided into multiple wings. I would talk about two wings the one in which I stayed. Another wing left to our wing. In the other wing stayed a boy, Sidhu (name changed) who was addicted to tobacco from school itself. Sidhu was a very social person and from a well to do family. He would often organise parties and go for movies and each time he would take someone along with him. By the end of 3 months, almost 50% of his friends were chewing tobacco. By the end of our MBBS almost everyone in the wing where into smoking and chewing tobacco.

But in the hostel wing I stayed, our seniors never promoted and were strict about tobacco consumption. No one in this wing ever took to this habit thankfully.

All of us have come through the entrance examination, studied hard have become doctors and into various speciality, but due to the environment, took to various habits. We cannot say that all of them had a weak will power. Environment affected them too!

It is for us as parents, seniors, teachers to guide our next generation in the right direction, we should be aware of the environment – the friend circle. I specifically tell children not to be associated with anyone who takes tobacco. However strong the child would be, their will power would get overwhelmed at some point in time only because of the environment with which they are associated with. Young minds are very easy to entice and lured to what is not good for them.

The other thing that I want to convey is that if anyone of your friends or colleagues is into tobacco, let us be good influencers on them. Help them get rid of the disease. We should not fall prey to this habit but let them adopt our good habit. If we hide or lie we cannot help them. They are into a wrong habit and we should help before the early signs of tobacco harm sets in. The advance harms are really dangerous and fatal.

The book WIN OVER TOBACCO MADE EASY would be of help. Visit the tobacco wellness centres.

A word of caution – the teachers, school counsellors, parents should be aware how to deal with such situation. I will talk about it in my subsequent blogs.