Chewing tobacco cancer warning
Says that oral and nasal snuff as well as chewing tobacco are harmful as they increase the risk of certain cancers, but on the reverse side these habits are considered safer thank smoking.
The risk of throat and pancreatic cancer is roughly 60 percent higher among users of chewing tobacco products compared with non-users, it found. Investigators in the United States and Asia also found a 260 percent increase in the risk of mouth cancer among chewing tobacco users, compared with non-users, but a similar European investigation found no added risk, it said.
More than 30 carcinogens, or cancer-causing ingredients, can be found in chewing tobacco, a category that comprises oral products that are sucked or chewed. You won’t always be able to spot the earliest warning signs of oral cancer, which is why regular check-ups with both your dentist and physician are so important. Your dentist is trained to detect early warning signs of oral cancer. However, in addition to check-ups, you should see your dentist if you do notice any of the following:
* A sore on the lips, gums, or inside of your mouth that bleeds easily and doesn’t heal
* A lump or thickening in the cheek that you can feel with your tongue
* Loss of feeling or numbness in any part of your mouth
* White or red patches on the gums, tongue or inside of mouth
* Difficulty chewing or swallowing food
* Soreness or unexplained pain in your mouth, or feeling that something is caught in your throat with no known cause * Swelling of the jaw causing dentures to fit poorly
* Change in voice Chewing ttobacco use accounts for 80 to 90 percent of oral cancers.
Quit chewing tobacco NICOTINE REPLACEMENT THERAPY may work for individuals who are addicted to smokeless tobacco. Some patients may improve with bupropion (ZYBAN). Studies are mixed on the success rates of smoking cessation therapies for chewing tobacco, and further research is needed.
