The use of tobacco accounts for the majority of premature deaths and illnesses globally, killing half of its users prematurely. Both chewing tobacco and smoking have detrimental effects on both oral and overall health. According to WHO, in 2020, 22.3% of the global population used tobacco, 36.7% of all men, and 7.8% of the world’s women. According to the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) 2 conducted in 2016–17, the overall prevalence of smoking tobacco use is 10.38% and smokeless tobacco use is 21.38% in India. Smoking and smokeless tobacco both increase the risk of oral cancer. Promoting tobacco-free lifestyles is a major responsibility of oral health professionals. In addition to reiterating the anti-tobacco message and directing patients to smoking cessation facilities, they should advise their patients not to smoke. Dentists are in a unique position to inform and educate patients about the risks of tobacco use to their oral and systemic health and to provide intervention programs as part of normal patient treatment. The morbidity and mortality caused by tobacco use must be reduced through tobacco cessation. The 5 A's and 5 R's strategy, quitlines, and medication are all tobacco cessation strategies.

Dr. Ipseeta Menon, is presently working as Professor & Head, Dept of Public Health Dentistry at Kalinga Institute of Dental Sciences, Bhubaneswar, Odisha. She completed BDS in 1998 from Bangalore University and MDS in 2009 from Rohil-khand University, Bareilly. She has attended and presented papers in many National & International Conferences. She has many National and International publications to her credit. Received excellence in Public Health Dentistry Award by International Dental Excellence Award 2018 and by Indian Health Professional Awards 2017.