How tobacco use contributes to Oral Cancer

Smokers are at a 10 times higher risk than non-smokers to develop oral cancer. Smoking is injurious to health and causes cancer, heart disease, stroke, lung diseases, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and other respiratory ailments. The amount of cigarettes smoked every day increases the risk of oral cancer mortality. Oral cancer accounts for 30% of all cancers in India and claims the lives of around 5 persons in India every hour! Each year "World No Tobacco Day" is observed on 31st May to spread the awareness about the dangers of using tobacco.

According to a study, India has the highest rate of oral cancer cases in the world, with tobacco usage being one of the major causes. One can reduce the risk of this disease by making modest lifestyle adjustments and adopting good behavioural habits. The need of the hour is to increase the awareness about quitting all forms of tobacco to reduce the risk of oral cancer.

What is oral cancer?

Tobacco use has been linked to a number of life-threatening illnesses and disorders, including cancer. Oral cancer is a cancerous growth of some tissues in the mouth that can spread from the mouth to the nose, neck, and other areas. White or red spots in the mouth, bleeding in the mouth, swelling in the oral area, difficulty swallowing, and other symptoms can appear early on. If you've been smoking for a long time and are experiencing these symptoms, consult a doctor right away and get the necessary tests done. Tobacco and alcohol are both carcinogenic and may contain substances that can harm your cell DNA and cause cancer. If you both smoke and drink alcohol, this further increases your risk of getting oral cancer.

How tobacco causes oral cancer

Tobacco use of any form can put your health at risk. Cigarettes, cigars, beedis, and pipes all emit smoke that might cause cancer. When you inhale the smoke, the chemicals enter your bloodstream, where they are carried to all regions of your body. Many of these chemicals can harm your DNA, which determines how your body generates new cells and how each type of cell does what it was designed to do. Damaged DNA can cause cells to grow differently than they should. These atypical cells have the potential to develop into cancer. Smokers are not the only ones who can get cancer from tobacco smoke. Second hand smoking affects everyone around them, including their children, partners, friends, employees, and others.

Cigarettes are known to contain over 60 hazardous cancer-causing chemicals. Cancer-causing substances, as well as addictive nicotine, are present in these items. Tobacco-specific nitrosamines are the most cancer-causing chemicals in smokeless tobacco (TSNAs). The amount of TSNA in a product varies, but the higher the level, the higher the cancer risk.

No matter how long you have used tobacco, quitting can reduce your risk for cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Nicotine, a chemical present naturally in tobacco, is addictive to many people who use it. This can make quitting tobacco difficult. Most tobacco users attempt to quit multiple times before succeeding. Seek professional help that includes a mix of medication, therapy and counselling from specialists.

Smoking cessation clinic at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital

Do you know someone who is a chain smoker? Are you trying to quit smoking but cannot? The Smoking cessation clinic at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital helps diagnose and manage tobacco addictions. Our team of experts that include chest physicians, psychologists and psychiatrists provide a personalised plan to help you give up smoking. To learn more about quitting smoking, click here:

https://www.kokilabenhospital.com/departments/clinicsatkh/smokingcessationclinic.html

I am Jiya Sharma, a professional blogger and I love to write on entertainment, Home Decor, Interior, hospitality, digital marketing and social media marketing topics. I found your website on the web and damn impressed with the content shared on it.