Individuals in this stage deny having a problem, and they have no intention of quitting. Intervention should only try to raise their awareness of the effects of tobacco use on their oral health. In this stage, individuals know they have a problem, but they have no commitment to take action at the present time. Intervention includes raising awareness of general and oral health benefits of a tobacco free lifestyle. Individuals in this stage are ready to quit within the next month.
Intervention includes giving self-help materials and recommending that they work on a quit plan.
Action and maintenance stages require positive reinforcement to help the patients with their new lifestyles. When providing tobacco cessation information, it is important to follow the 5 A's known in tobacco interventions in the dental practice. Each individual seen as a patient in the dental office should be asked if they are a tobacco user and if so, has quitting tobacco been addressed. Next, advise the patient about the oral effects, risks of long-term use and benefits of quitting. At this time, assess the patient's willingness to quit and determine which stage of change the individual is in to allow appropriate intervention.