In general, if the patient smokes 20 or less cigarettes a day, 2mg nicotine gum is indicated. If more than 20 cigarettes per day are smoked, 4mg nicotine gum will be needed to meet the withdrawal of the high serum nicotine levels from heavy smoking. Cessation programs are being developed to address vaping, she said, there's a pretty clear path in treating nicotine addiction: Replacement therapy, such as the nicotine patch, lozenge or gum. If you are using the gum along with the nicotine patch, you may not need to use the gum as frequently because you will use it when you get or expect a craving. Do not use more than 24 pieces of gum per day. Following 6 weeks of use, you can reduce use to 1 piece every 2-4 hours, and then 1 piece every 4-8 hours. Nicotine gum helps by replacing some of the nicotine you would normally get from smoking; it can help to manage cravings. Using the nicotine gum can also help to manage some of the other symptoms of nicotine withdrawal when you quit such as difficulty concentrating, frustration, restlessness and anxiety. It is typically sugar-free, and some research suggests it may help whiten teeth.