Nicotine chewing gum...what it is & what the facts are
Covering Nicotine chewing gum addiction and side effects
Designed to keep your mouth busy and made from a special material called polacrilex. Nicotine gum contains nicotine. It has grown to be a paramount and popular stop smoking product for nicotine cessation.
Its main purpose is to satisfy the nicotine cravings in you when trying to quit smoking. This includes quitting smokeless tobacco. Polacrilex is a material of choice in manufacturing the chewing gum as it maximizes the amount of nicotine released.
Nicotine gum supplies your bloodstream with nicotine that is absorbed through your mouth tissues. It looks pretty much usual. Just like your regular gum. It is also available in several different flavors to satisfy user preferences. In many places such as Europe and the United States, nicotine chewing gum is available needless of a prescription.
In the early days of nicotine chewing gum, more than 20 years ago, it was only available by prescription. Today things have changed. Generally speaking, this has caused a steep fall in prices of the product.
It is an alternative to nicotine patch, nicotine pastilles or commit lozenges or nicotine inhaler, or nicotine nasal spray. Which one is best for you will depend on a number of factors that you will personally need to consider (if you so wish with the help of your doctor) including the known side effects of each.
Just remember that nicotine gum cannot be taken together with other products containing nicotine such as nicotine patch or tobacco cigarettes, chew tobacco or snuff. The reason is simple, you run the risk of exceeding the safe levels of nicotine in your body at any given time. Nicotine poisoning or nicotine overdose my occur. Overdose may cause nausea or dizziness or worse. It is also possible to get addicted to chewing gum. even though rare, nicotine chewing gum addiction has been reported in some individuals. As a side note, three drops of pure nicotine are deadly enough to kill a rat!
How the chewing part works is a subject of interest to a newbie. First, the nicotine gum is chewed to a point were it tastes peppery or gives a tingly mouth sensation. This signals the nicotine is "ripe". Second, in order to now absorb nicotine into the bloodstream; using the tongue the chewing gum is tucked in-between gum and cheek until the taste or tingly sensation disappears.
The process is repeated for about 30 minutes until the chewing gum is exhausted of any nicotine or at least the craving goes away. Then its time for the chewing gum to exist the mouth.
Known nicotine chewing gum side effects
Hiccups - an involuntary action linked to the central nervous system possibly caused by the toxins/metabolic process of nicotine.
Throat muscle irritation - usually caused by swallowing saliva with nicotine
Gum disease - constriction action of gum blood vessels in the long run may cause disease.
Hair loss - gender indiscriminate hair loss may occur in nicotine chewing gum users.
Birth Defects - women who use nicotine gum during pregnancy especially in the early days face a heightened risk of giving birth to defective babies. Birth defects are mostly associated with nicotine use which is a similar risk in women who smoke while pregnant. This also applies to breastfeeding mothers. The effects on suckling babies is unknown.
Nicotine gum might interfere with dental work in your mouth by sticking itself to dentures or dental implants
As side effects you may also experience mouth, teeth and jaw problems, irregular heart beat it be too slow or too fast. This points to some link with blood pressure
Personal conditions to consider concerning nicotine chewing gum
Tiny particles of nicotine gum may cause kids and pets to fall sick. They contain enough nicotine to cause harm. Ensure you properly dispose of used pieces of the gum.
Nicotine overdose symptoms mainly include vomiting,increased heart beat, loss of strength, dizziness and nausea.
If you have a pre-existing high blood pressure condition, please note that nicotine in the gum will cause high blood pressure which may not be controlled by medication.
Nicotine may also adversely affect pre-existing diabetes or stomach ulcer conditions.
If already on another non-nicotine stop smoking drug or taking hypertension medication or medication for asthma or depression please consult your doctor in advance.
The leading and most popular nicotine chewing gum brands include Nicorette and Rite Aid.
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