Nicotine Replacement Therapies: Gum

Published at 15 October, 2018.

Quitting smoking is hard. From mood swings to insomnia, headaches to dry mouth, there are so many side effects that people often think it’s easier to continue smoking, but that isn’t quite the case.

With so many nicotine replacement therapies now available, it’s easier than ever before to get the support you need to quit.  

Why do you need Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT)?

Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) is a treatment to support those quitting smoking, and offers a range of products designed to help you to quit smoking.

Nicotine is a highly addictive substance found in cigarettes that, when smoking is stopped or even just reduced, causes withdrawal symptoms such as headaches or irritability. Nicotine replacement therapy helps smokers to quit by relieving and reducing these symptoms by releasing small levels of nicotine into the body over time.

As NRT’s don’t include the harmful, toxic chemicals that are found in cigarettes, like tar and carbon monoxide, they are a much safer for those who need some help when quitting, whether that’s gradually or straight away.

Which nicotine gum is right for me?  

Much like other NRT’s, gum is available in two different nicotine strengths – 2mg and 4mg - and users can gradually lower their strength the further along they are into their quitting journey. Ideally, users should reduce their nicotine dosage until the cravings have subsided, or the withdrawal symptoms have lessened.

For those heavier smokers, around 4-10 pieces of 4mg gum is recommended daily, while for those who smoke less than 20 cigarettes per day, 8-12 pieces of 2g gum should be enough to keep the cravings at bay.

Our top tips:

• People should wait at least 15 minutes after drinking or eating to chew gum, this is because absorption rates into the body will be reduced.
• Users should chew the gum until an almost spicy taste happens. The gum should then be tucked between the gum and the cheek for optimum nicotine absorption into the mouth tissues.
• No more than 15 pieces of gum should be chewed in a day, and users should

We understand that quitting is different for each person and that, sometimes, it takes time to find what works for you. If you’re struggling to quit, or you simply need some more advice or guidance, visit one of our Yorkshire Smokefree clinics today.  Call us on 0800 612 0011 (free from landlines) or 0330 660 1166 (free from most mobiles) to chat with one of our trusted advisors.

You can also enter your details here and one of our stop smoking advisers will give you a callback.