Doctors cannot always explain why one person develops oral cancer and
another does not. However, we do know that this disease is not contagious.
You cannot "catch" oral cancer from another person.
Research has shown that people with certain risk factors are more likely
than others to develop oral cancer. A risk factor is anything that increases
your chance of developing a disease.
The following are risk factors for oral cancer:
Tobacco: Tobacco use
accounts for most oral cancers. Smoking cigarettes, cigars, or pipes; using
chewing tobacco; and dipping snuff are all linked to oral cancer. The use of
other tobacco products (such as bidis and kreteks) may also increase the risk
of oral cancer. Heavy smokers who use tobacco for a long time are most at
risk. The risk is even higher for tobacco users who drink alcohol heavily. In
fact, three out of four oral cancers occur in people who use alcohol, tobacco,
or both alcohol and tobacco.
Alcohol: People who drink
alcohol are more likely to develop oral cancer than people who don't drink.
The risk increases with the amount of alcohol that a person consumes. The risk
increases even more if the person both drinks alcohol and uses tobacco.
Sun: Cancer of the lip
can be caused by exposure to the sun. Using a lotion or lip balm that has a
sunscreen can reduce the risk. Wearing a hat with a brim can also block the
sun's harmful rays. The risk of cancer of the lip increases if the person also
smokes.
A personal history of head and neck cancer: People who have had head and neck cancer
are at increased risk of developing another
primary head and neck cancer. Smoking increases this risk.
Quitting tobacco reduces the risk of oral cancer.
Also, quitting reduces the chance that a person with oral cancer will get
a second cancer in the head and neck region. People who stop smoking can
also reduce their risk of cancer of the lung, larynx, mouth, pancreas,bladder, and esophagus.
There
are many resources to help smokers quit:
The Cancer Information Service at
1-800-4-CANCER can talk with callers about ways to quit smoking and
about groups that offer help to smokers who want to quit. Groups offer
counseling in person or by telephone.
Also, your doctor or dentist can help you find
a local smoking cessation program.
Your
doctor can tell you about medicine (bupropion) or about nicotine
replacement therapy, which comes as a patch, gum, lozenges, nasal spray,
or inhaler.
The "National Cancer Institute Information
Resources" section has information
about the Federal Government's smoking cessation Web site, http://www.smokefree.gov.
Some studies suggest that not eating enough fruits and
vegetables may increase the chance of getting oral cancer. Scientists also are
studying whether infections with certain viruses (such as the human papillomavirus)
are linked to oral cancer.
If you think you may be at risk, you should discuss this
concern with your doctor or dentist. You may want to ask about an appropriate
schedule for checkups. Your health care team will probably tell you that not
using tobacco and limiting your use of alcohol are the most important things you
can do to prevent oral cancers. Also, if you spend a lot of time in the sun,
using a lip balm that contains sunscreen and wearing a hat with a brim will
help protect your lips.
There are a variety of diseases and conditions that can cause tongue problems, discoloration, and soreness. Though most tongue problems are not serious. Conditions such as leukoplakia, oral thrush, and oral lichen planus may cause a white tongue while Kawasaki syndrome, scarlet fever, and geographic tongue may cause the tongue to appear red. A black hairy tongue may be caused by overgrown papillae on the tongue. Canker sores, smoking, and trauma may cause soreness of the tongue.
Alcoholism is a disease that includes alcohol craving and continued drinking despite repeated alcohol-related problems, such as losing a job or getting into trouble with the law.
Toothache usually refers to pain around the teeth or jaws. In most instances, toothaches are caused by tooth or jaw problems, such as a dental cavity, a cracked tooth, an exposed tooth root, gum disease, disease of the jaw joint (TMJ), or spasms of the muscles used for chewing. A toothache can also be caused by a problem that does not originate from a tooth or the jaw, like diseases of the heart (angina or heart attack), ear infections, and sinus infections. A thorough oral examination, which includes dental X-rays, can help determine the cause.
Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the U.S. HPV is primarily transmitted by sexual contact. While some people develop warts in the genital region after infection, others experience no symptoms. Though genital warts can be removed, there is no cure for HPV infection. There is a vaccine to prevent infection from four common HPV types.
Cancer is a disease caused by an abnormal growth of cells, also called malignancy. It is a group of 100 different diseases, and is not contagious. Cancer can be treated through chemotherapy, a treatment of drugs that destroy cancer cells.
Smoking is an addiction. More than 430,000 deaths occur each year in the U.S. from smoking related illnesses. Secondhand smoke or "passive smoke" also harm family members, coworkers, and others around smokers. There are a number of techniques available to assist people who want to quit smoking.
The HPV virus (genital warts) in men can cause health problems. Genital warts are confined primarily to the moist skin of the genitals or around the anus. Genital warts are caused by the human papillomaviruses (HPVs), which are transmitted through sexual contact.
Head and neck cancer is cancer of the oral cavity, salivary glands, paranasal sinuses and nasal cavity, pharynx, larynx, or lymph nodes in the upper part of the neck. These cancers account for 3% to 5% of cancers in the U.S. Tobacco and alcohol use are important risk factors. Treatment may involve surgery, radiation therapy, and/or chemotherapy.
Leukoplakia is a white or gray patch that develops on the tongue or inside the cheek. Causes of Leukoplakia may include irritation from rough teeth fillings or crowns, chronic smoking, sun exposure to the lips, or HIV or AIDS.
Though it's difficult to say why some people develop cancer while others don't, research shows that certain risk factors increase a person's odds of developing cancer. These risk factors include growing older, family history of cancer, diet, alcohol and tobacco use, and exposure to sunlight, ionizing radiation, certain chemicals, and some viruses and bacteria.
Smokeless tobacco can have negative health effects such as cancers, poor oral health (gum disease and tooth decay), infertility, pregnancy complications, and nicotine addiction.
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