Stop Smoking Help

Nicotine Gum Effects

There are many different nicotine-based products on the market that promise to satisfy a smoker’s craving for nicotine. The most popular ones include patches, inhalers, sprays, tablets, lozenges, and gums.

While aware of the potential nicotine gum effects, many smokers, nevertheless, opt for nicotine gum as their choice for nicotine replacement therapy.

How Does Nicotine Gum Work?

Unlike regular gum that releases flavorful ingredients onto your tongue when chewed, nicotine gum releases nicotine which is absorbed by the tissues in the mouth. It produces a tingly feeling in the mouth and has a pepper-like taste. It travels throughout the bloodstream, satisfying a smoker’s nicotine craving for a short period of time.

To attain the best results, it should be slightly chewed, then stored between the cheeks and gums until the tingling and pepper taste has disappeared. The process is repeated until there is no more nicotine left in the gum, or until the user’s craving for nicotine has been depleted.

Aspiring non-smokers usually chew 10 to 15 pieces of nicotine gum a day, 1 piece every 1 to 2 hours. A maximum of 24 pieces daily is recommended, as more than that could cause health problems. Smokers should not only reduce their intake of gum after about 12 weeks, but they should also limit its use to a 6-month period.

What are the Side Effects of Nicotine Gum?

Common nicotine gum effects include tingling in the mouth when chewing, headache, hiccups, indigestion, jaw ache, nausea, mouth and throat irritation, and stomach discomfort. Usually, these side effects disappear shortly after the piece of chewed gum is discarded.

However, chewing the gum fast and improperly could lead to some disturbing side effects such as vomiting, coughing, constipation, mouth ulcers, heartburn, dizziness, and insomnia. You may be able to prevent these unpleasant side effects by chewing more slowly and by meticulously following the instructions on the package.

Certain nicotine gum effects such as fainting, heavy heart palpitations and cold sweats are viewed as serious symptoms of a possible nicotine overdose. Anyone experiencing these symptoms should contact help immediately.

Nicotine gum can be a great way to kick the nasty habit of cigarette smoking. If you are contemplating using nicotine gum to stop smoking, you should consult your doctor first for complete information and for safety precautions.