THURSDAY, May 30, 2002 (HealthDayNews) -- Here's an apparent sure-fire way to stay away from tobacco: Go see your doctor or dentist on a regular basis.
Elderly people who make regular visits to their doctors and dentists are more likely to quit smoking or remain nonsmokers, says a study in the June issue of the Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences.
Researchers from Portland State University and Oregon Health and Science University examined the health files of 13,363 people aged 65 and older who were included in the Canadian National Population Health Survey.
They found that 15 percent of them were current smokers, 41 percent were former smokers and 44 percent never smoked. The majority of older smokers hadn't visited a dentist in more than five years.
The study also found that older people who didn't have a regular doctor and had infrequent dental and medical checkups were more likely to be current smokers.
The researchers say they hope their study will encourage more doctors and dentists to talk with their patients about their use of tobacco and offer them help to quit.
More information
The American Lung Association offers these unpleasant facts about what happens to a person if he or she persists with smoking into old age.
