Smoking is one of the major risk factor in the development and progression of periodontal disease. Recent evidences supports that smoking may also interact with other factors including genetics and diabetes potentiating periodontal breakdown. Hence quitting smoking is absolutely essential for the prevention of diseases, health enhancement and improving the healing potential before beginning treatments of diseases, including periodontitis. This literature review aims to give an insight about the influence of smoking cessation on oral micro flora, gingival blood flow, gingival crevicular fluid, plasma constituents, enzyme activity, immunologic function, bone loss and healing potential. Periodontal disease progression and its response to periodontal therapy and the success rate involved in implant placement subsequent to quitting the habit of smoking is also discussed in this review