5 Nicotine Replacement Therapies

Nicotine gum is one of the most popular smoking cessation methods available. This product can be bought over-the-counter and comes in 2mg and 4mg strengths. When deciding which strength is right for you, consider whether you smoke more than 25 cigarettes per day, whether you smoke within 30 minutes of waking up, and whether you have trouble not smoking in restricted areas. If any of these describe you, you may need to start with the higher dose. When beginning, chew slowly until you feel tingling or detect a peppery taste. When this happens, hold the gum in your cheek without chewing until the feeling or taste fades, and repeat. Do not eat or drink anything except water 15 minutes before and while chewing the gum. And do not chew more than 24 pieces of gum per day. Nicotine gum has the added benefit of allowing you to control how much nicotine you receive. How many pieces of gum you chew per day and at what strength can be tapered down as you continue treatment. Side effects include throat irritation, mouth sores, hiccups, jaw soreness and an increased heartbeat. While a prescription is not necessary, it’s a good idea to talk to your doctor or pharmacist before beginning treatment.