Once calendars officially flip to reveal January 1, millions of Americans will be in the position of honoring the "New Year's Resolutions" made the night before. According to the US Government, some popular goals include increasing physical fitness, volunteering to help others, working on reducing stress and building a savings account. (http://www.usa.gov/Citizen/Topics/New_Years_Resolutions.shtml). Individuals who long to save money and improve dental health as part of their goal have a couple of strategies they can implement.
Improving dental health can do wonders for a person. Good-looking people tend to earn more money and have better job prospects than their less attractive counterparts and a smile filled with healthy teeth is just one attribute associated with beauty. While some individuals may have the resources to simply purchase cosmetic dentistry to get a pretty smile, others may lack the money needed and instead should focus their efforts to committing to New Year's Resolutions that can improve dental health, improve a smile and save money.
Of all the habits and vices a person can have, smoking is the worst. The behavior may start off innocently enough, but tobacco is a highly addictive substance and individuals can find themselves quickly hooked. The average smoker spends over $2,100 annually for their habit (West Virginia Division of Tobacco Prevention and the state Health Statistics Center, http://wvgazette.com/News/201104211006). All they get for that investment is a product filled with toxins, carcinogens, bad breath, tooth-staining and an increased risk of developing debilitating (or life threatening) conditions such as oral cancer, heart disease and dental problems such as tooth decay and gum disease.
There are a myriad of ways to break the tobacco habit, however for some 'cold turkey' is the only way to go. Those who choose this particular method can see immediate improvements in their health and be sticking to the plan, the benefits will only increase over time. Within 20 minutes of smoking cessation blood pressure, pulse rate, and the hand and feet temperature will all return to normal and after a scant 48 hours a body will test 100% nicotine-free. Individuals primarily concerned with the smoking/dental health connection should know that blood circulation to teeth and gums should be recovered to the level of a non-user within ten days to two weeks.
Regardless of the methodology used to quit smoking, individuals can devise a reward system that can help. Independent research has indicated that the average pack of cigarettes can cost a West Virginia smoker $4.74 a pop, while New York addicts can pay close to $11.90 a pack to get their fix (http://www.theawl.com/2011/06/what-a-pack-of-cigarettes-costs-state-by-state). No matter what the price point, the money that would have been spent on cigarettes should be stowed away for savings. That newly freed revenue stream will surely come handy in the long run.