How Smoking and Alcohol Consumption Contribute to Oral Cancer Risk
Cancerous growth that occurs in any part of the mouth including, lips, tongue, throat, or gums is called Oral Cancer. One of the subset of head and neck cancers, affecting millions every year globally, oral cancers occur mainly due to poorer lifestyle choices especially due to the usage of tobacco & alcohol. These habits, together, massively influence the risk of developing oral cancers, often working synergistically to multiply the danger.
Tobacco in any form is harmful and smoking tobacco in the form of cigarettes, cigars, pipes or bidis kicks in carcinogenic chemicals directly into the mouth that can damage the cells lining the oral cavity and with time can cause mutations or abnormal tissue growth ultimately leading to cancer. Remember, smoking not just reduces your natural oral defence mechanism, but also weakens your immune response and ultimately leads to slower repair of damaged cells, promoting easy & faster cancer development.
Chewing tobacco in form gutka or khaini is equally deadly as it stays in direct contact with your gums and inner cheeks, exposing these areas to cancer-causing chemicals ultimately leading to oral lesions, leukoplakia and increased risk of cancer.
When you are consuming both alcohol and tobacco, you are at a much higher risk. Alcohol acts as a solvent to the chemicals in tobacco and helps them penetrate the cells of the mouth lining more deeply, leading to chronic irritation and inflammation in tissues. Remember, frequent alcohol consumption can also lead to oral cancer, but combining it with tobacco becomes a ticking time bomb, leading to up to 30 times more risk compared to in non-users. Alcohol generally dehydrates the cells in your mouth, and thus reduces saliva flow and ultimately makes them more vulnerable to injury. The saliva in the human mouth acts as a natural cleanser and protector of the oral cavit. Without its presence or reduction in flow compromises oral health.
However, oral cancer is quite preventable. But you need to quit smoking, chewing tobacco, alcohol and along with it also need to maintain regular oral hygiene and dental checkups. With these simple steps you can quite quickly reduce your risk of oral cancer. Remember, early detection plays a major role in prevention/cure and can have better survival rates.
The key to reducing oral cancer risk or incidences is the right awareness and better lifestyle modifications. Avoid intake of alcohol, smoking and chewing tobacco and also go for frequent check ups with your doctor. And if you are struggling with the above habits, seeking help and making better and healthier choices can bring a lot of difference.