Nicotine replacement therapy: A smoking cessation aid… an overview

Abstract

Cigarette smoking is one of the most important causes of illness and premature death. The tobacco problem in India is very complex, due to large use of an array of smoking forms well as smokeless tobacco products. Several recent publications have highlighted the requirement for the dental profession to get involved with tobacco intervention. Although approximately all of the toxicity of smoking is due to other harmful components present in cigarette smoke, the pharmacological effects of nicotine leads to tobacco addiction. Hence, all the attempts to quit smoking are aimed to remove tobacco addiction by replacing tobacco nicotine with clean nicotine. The most important cessation aid used, out of all the cessation aids, is nicotine replacement therapy or NRT. Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) replaces much of the nicotine from tobacco, which is mixed with harmful chemicals, with clean nicotine, thus reducing motivation to consume tobacco and also lessening nicotine withdrawal symptoms, thus easing the transition from cigarette smoking to complete abstinence. NRTs show good results and have minimal adverse effects. The review aims to summarize literature on various modes of nicotine replacement therapy methods currently used and to discuss future possible approaches. Also, the safety and need of NRTs in various special conditions have been discussed.