Tobacco | American Oral Cancer Foundation

Smoking Tobacco

Though there may be some people who are aware of it, most of the people don’t know that there are different types of smoking substances made from tobacco. In fact, each country in the world has its own special form of smoking tobacco. Perhaps this is the reason why oral cancer is one of the most commonly seen types of cancer among many in different parts of the world.

The most commonly type of smoking tobacco is in the form of cigarette. This is used widely throughout the world. It is made by rolling the tobacco leaves in a paper to form a cylindrical shape. The end of the white paper would be brown from where the smoke in drawn. This is actually a filter and is called a cigarette butt.

Another type of smoking tobacco is the cigar. The cigar is made from dry tobacco leaves which are also fermented and made into a tight bundle. There are variations of the cigarettes and cigars like the Blunt, Kreteks, Beedis, Roll-Your-Own, Cigarillos and many more. These vary in the way they are made an
d also how they are used.

Another way of smoking tobacco is through the Hookah. The hookah is actually an instrument which is used for smoking tobacco. The smoke would be cooled after passing it through water and the tobacco which is inhaled is called the shisha. The hookah is also known as a waterpipe and may have a single pipe or multiple pipes. These are thought to have originated from the Middle East countries.

So you can see that there are many types of smoking substances available as far as tobacco is concerned. These products mentioned above are some of the major causes of oral cancers, ulcers and other diseases related to mouth. Also, tobacco has plenty of carcinogenic substances in it so it plays a minor role in all other types of cancers as well.

Filed Under: Smoking Tagged With: Tobacco

Avoiding Oral Cancer with Regular Trips to the Dentist

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While most people make an annual trip to the doctor for a health physical, many are avoiding the dentist for various reasons. Regular trips to the dentist are an important part of detecting and then preventing Oral Cancer.

A yearly visit to the dentist is a superb way for this dental-health professional to assess not only the health of your teeth, but also detect any early signs of oral cancer.

It’s no secret that those who use tobacco products increase their chances of developing oral cancer. If you think the only tobacco product that can cause oral cancer is smokeless tobacco or chew (sometimes called snuff), you would be mistaken. Smoking cigarettes also greatly increases the chances of developing oral cancer as the ingestion of the tobacco product is nearly as harmful as chewing tobacco. Electronic cigarettes have become a healthier option for smokers who are concerned about developing this cancer of the mouth.

The most common sign of Oral Cancer would be finding a sore in the mouth. It’s important to pay attention if a sore in your mouth lingers as many people have cold-sores or canker sores especially during the winter months. If you have a sore that persists for more than 10 days, it’s crucial to get to a dentist for early detection.

Oral Cancer is not always detected in the mouth. For some, their first sign of a problem might come in the form of a lump in the neck. The beginnings of oral cancer can just as easily start in the neck as opposed to the mouth.

Other signs of oral cancer can be problems swallowing or a certain loss of feeling sensation in parts of the mouth. For any kind of lumps or loss of feeling or inability to swallow, consult with a physician or a dentist if a problem persist more than a week.

Filed Under: Health Tips, Oral Cancer, Smoking Tagged With: Cancer, Health, Oral Cancer, Tobacco

Risk Factors Associated With Oral Cancer

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It is a common notion that oral cancer is common in the people who are smokers. It is true that the smokers are the ones who are at a very high risk of being affected by oral cancer, but there are also other people who are at risk of being affected with this disease.

The common causes and risk factors that can cause oral cancer also include the use of alcohol. Any person who drinks a lot will be at risk of being affected by this disease. Oral cancer also affects people who do not smoke, but use tobacco in other forms. The common reason for the oral cancer to occur is the chewing of tobacco. This is a habit that is seen in many of the people in certain developing nations where the growth of tobacco is not limited.

The other people who are at a high risk of being affected with oral cancer are the people who have repeated infections that are viral in nature. The most common viral infection is the Herpes virus. When a person has repeated infections with this virus, it can lead to oral cancer, or at least increase the risk of the cancer to occur.

The other important fact that should be remembered is that though a person may have a risk factor, the risk increases if the person has more than one risk factor. If a person is a smoker and also an alcoholic, then the risk of that person getting oral cancer increases proportionately. Other than the risk factors that have been mentioned already, a person who does not take care of the mouth and oral hygiene will further increase the risk of the disease. Prevention of the risk factors will help to avoid the disease and this is the reason for the various health agencies to try and reduce the risk factors.

Filed Under: Health Tips, Oral Cancer, Oral Health Care Tagged With: Cancer, Oral Cancer, Tobacco

Tips to Avoid Oral Cancer

There’s nothing more unsettling than sitting in the doctor’s office and hearing the words, you’ve got cancer.Suddenly, a multitude of thoughts go through your mind. You worry about your future, your family, your ability to work, and your chances for survival. Nobody wants to be in that situation. While there’s no absolute guarantee that you won’t get cancer, there are some things you can do to help prevent cancer. Here are some tips to try to avoid getting oral cancer.

1. Don’t smoke. Smoking is one of the most dangerous and self-destructive habits you can participate in. Smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer, but it can also contribute to oral cancer.

2. Avoid chewing tobacco. Right up there with smoking, chewing tobacco can increase your chances for cancer. The nicotine in tobacco destroys the inside of your mouth and leaves you susceptible to cancer.

3. Watch your medications. While most medications are necessary and helpful, you can be cautious about medications you choose to take. For example, certain medications like birth control can cause different symptoms and side effects. If you are experiencing problems with our health, be sure to look into the side effects of birth control.

4. Get plenty of exercise. We increase our body’s ability to fight disease when we are healthy and strong. Getting plenty of exercise will help you to stay healthy. If you were to get an awful cancer diagnosis, you’ll be better able to fight the disease if your body is strong.

5. Eat healthy. Take in leafy greens, fruits, and water. Watch your red meat intake and avoid fatty foods. Eating healthy will keep your bodies functioning the way they are supposed to.

6. Brush up your knowledge about the side affects of birth control, as wrong birth control methods can have cancerous side effects too.

Filed Under: General, Health Tips Tagged With: Cancer, Chewing tobacco, Effects, Health, Smoking, Specific Substances, Tobacco, United States

Health Campaigners in Asia Welcome Tobacco Picture Warnings to Help Fight Oral Cancer

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Health authorities in Pakistan have followed the western lead an introduced picture based health warning on all tobacco products sold in the country.
Following the example set by countries including the UK, Hong Kong and Brazil, the country has ordered tobacco product manufacturers to print disturbing images of the damage that can be caused by tobacco smoking, such as oral cancer conditions including mouth cancer tumors, on 40 percent of their products such as cigarettes, rolling and chewing tobacco.
It is hoped that the images will acts as a deterrent to those who smoke or chew tobacco, persuading them to consider giving up the habit, which is a leading cause in the rising toll of oral cancer conditions in the country. Officials are also trying to dissuade new users from taking up habits that could leave them at risk of oral cancer conditions such as mouth cancer and throat cancer.
Tobacco users purchasing products will now find themselves confronted with unpleasant images of the effects of oral cancer – including decaying flesh and tumors.
The move has been welcomed by health campaigners in neighboring India who are waiting for similar shock tactics to be introduced in an attempt to halt the march of oral cancer conditions there, with mouth and throat cancers being the most common cancer condition affecting the country. The roll out of picture based warnings in India has already been postponed once and is now expected to begin in December.
Currently only two percent of tobacco users ever manage to give up the unhealthy habit in the country. Indian oral cancer campaigner Dr Suwas Darvekar explains on his website www.oralcancerawareness.org that it is important to educate on the effect of the effects of tobacco use and allow patients to make informed choices as many mouth and throat cancers are, in his words, “completely preventable”.

Filed Under: Health Tips, Oral Cancer, Smoking Tagged With: Cancer, Oral Cancer, Tobacco

Smokeless Tobacco Users Urged to Quit to Avoid Oral Cancer

Tobacco chewers are being encouraged to quit with the help of a new website.
Recently launched site mylastdip.com is aimed at habitual users of smokeless tobacco – one indicated cause of oral cancer conditions such as mouth cancer and throat cancer.
Funded by the National Cancer Institute the website offers an exciting approach to quitting smokeless tobacco use in the hopes of helping to reduce the incidence of oral cancers.
Aimed at the 12 million or so smokeless tobacco users in the US, mylastdip.com is unique in its approach to the problem of this kind of tobacco use, and is one of the few resources out there that speciafically targets young users – with many existing programs catering only to the needs of the older and entrenched smokeless tobacco user.
It is hoped that by targeting use in the younger generation, the scheme will be able to make a positive dent in the future figures for use of chewing tobacco.
The site has two specially tailored progams – one that is aimed at the younger users of chewing tobacco (those aged between 14 and 25) and a second program that is created for the more mature user aged 26 and over.
With free access to the programs, which offer help and support to those who have made the decision to quit smokeless tobacco use, the site hopes to be a tool in the weaponry against the rapidly increasing rate of oral cancer diagnosis in the US.
With mouth and throat cancer detections standing at around 40,000 each year across the country, health campaigners have welcomed this additional ammunition to help arrest the rising oral cancer figures.
Users of the site will be offered online help and advice to assist them in stopping the use of this oral cancer causing substance and will also be able to access internet forums where they can share journey to being free of smokeless tobacco with other site-users.

Filed Under: Health Tips, Oral Cancer Tagged With: Chewing tobacco, Health, National Cancer Institute, Tobacco, United States

Michael Douglas Blames Smoking, Drinking and Stress for his Oral Cancer

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Actor Michael Douglas has blamed his oral cancer on smoking and drinking in his younger years.
The Hollywood veteran and husband of Catherine Zeta Jones appeared on the popular US talk show The Late Show where he discussed he ongoing fight against a stage four throat cancer – one of a number of oral cancer conditions that can be attributed to use of substances including tobacco and alcohol.
The Wall Street star, 65, who is currently undergoing a course of radiation and chemotherapy to treat the disease, told host David Letterman that he had indulged in both smoking and drinking in his earlier life and that the kind of oral cancer with which he had been diagnosed was often attributed to alcohol consumption.
The A-list star also added that he believed the fast development of the oral cancer condition to be partly as a result of stress in his personal life, with his son Cameron having been sent to prison in April of this year after being found guilty of drug related offences.
Speaking on the prime-time show, Douglas told of how the malignant cancer growth where his tongue and throat join had initially been missed by health care professionals who he had visited complaining of symptoms.
His actress wife Zeta Jones this week told reporters this week that she was “furious” that the cancer had not been spotted after her husband made a number of visits to health care professionals.
Douglas, son of the movie legend Kirk and father to two children Dylan 10 and Carys, seven, told audiences that he was approaching his cancer with optimism and had been given an eight in 10 chance of survival.
His revelations have sparked calls for further oral cancer awareness in communities across the globe with health campaigners welcoming his candid approach to his illness and doctors and dentists using the news to press home the importance of oral health and vigilance.

Filed Under: Health Tips, Oral Cancer Tagged With: Cancer, Michael Douglas, Tobacco, Wall Street

Chewing Tobacco and Oral Cancer

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One of cancer’s most terrifying aspects is its ability to occur almost anywhere in the body, with various degrees of severity. Some cancers are always terminal, while others can be dealt with or even eliminated using the proper treatment. One thing is sure; no one who hears they have cancer is happy about it.

Cancer has various causes, some avoidable and some not. In the case of heredity, one can do little other than hope for the best. Some cancers are a consequence of bad habits, decisions or environments, and those can be avoided with proper care. Oral cancer is one cancer that is particularly dependent upon the choices people make.

Most people know that smoking substantially increases the chances of lung cancer, as does the sustained intake of second-hand smoke. Chewing tobacco has its own risks and in some ways these are even worse. Chewing tobacco is more dangerous than cigarettes because the delivery is more direct and the substance may be even more addictive. People who chew tobacco are at a very high risk of developing an oral cancer such as cancer of the gums. Despite this and the way chewing tobacco stains the teeth and the spitting and bad breath that accompanies the habit, it’s a wonder people continue to chew. Perhaps they are just not aware of the dangers involved.

The media used to glamorize cigarette smoking and to a much more cautious and regulated extent it still does — but it’s hard to make chewing tobacco seem cool. Nonetheless, it’s still around, perhaps because people who are already hooked can’t kick the habit. Just like with cigarettes, giving up tobacco is no small feat. Tobacco addiction may require the same kind of support that alcohol rehab provides for the alcoholic. Still, it’s worth going through to avoid the risk of cancer from tobacco addiction.

Filed Under: Health Tips, Oral Cancer Tagged With: Chewing tobacco, Tobacco, Tobacco smoking

Chewing Tobacco and the Harms

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The reality is that tobacco chewing can cause the same internal damage as smoking. The only difference is that in addition the to harm it causes your lungs and anything else, it causes quick physical damage to your oral health.

Nicotine is addictive. There is no use in arguing that. However, the teeth are victims of the immediate nature of this drug. Chewing tobacco has ingredients like chemicals, gravel, and even sand. Just think about it. Chewing on gravel and sand cannot be good for your teeth. Now add a destructive chemical to it. All these elements combined will ruin your smile quickly. Your teeth will lose their enamel and you will see he final result is tooth loss.

In addition to the tooth harm you will cause yourself with chewing tobacco, you will see that you get more sore throat and sensitive lips or gums. Eventually this can spread to your tongue. The feeling of sensitivity may move on towards rashes, immobility of jaw or numbness in lips. This can also mean a burning sensation.

Eventually, chewing tobacco will lead to oral cancer. Having your jaw erode and the cancer spread is the final casualty in chewing tobacco. While some say that it isn’t harmful, you will find many others who beg to differ. It is a habit of rubbing poison along your gums for extended periods of time. This is never a harmless act.

It is addictive and it is harmful. Before you choose to move from one danger to another, consider the idea of moving on to chewing on twigs or chewing gum. Easier said than done, but owning the truth about chewing tobacco is your first step in recovering your oral health.

Some folks believe that you have to smoke in order to do real harm to your teeth. Instead, they will choose to chew tobacco because of the idea that it is less harmful than smoking or even snorting a nicotine product. Nothing could be further from the truth. When you are in the mindset that chewing tobacco is less harmful, you need to sit down and learn the facts.
The reality is that tobacco chewing can cause the same internal damage as smoking. The only difference is that in addition the to harm it causes your lungs and anything else, it causes quick physical damage to your oral health.
Nicotine is addictive. There is no use in arguing that. However, the teeth are victims of the immediate nature of this drug. Chewing tobacco has ingredients like chemicals, gravel, and even sand. Just think about it. Chewing on gravel and sand cannot be good for your teeth. Now add a destructive chemical to it. All these elements combined will ruin your smile quickly. Your teeth will lose their enamel and you will see he final result is tooth loss.
In addition to the tooth harm you will cause yourself with chewing tobacco, you will see that you get more sore throat and sensitive lips or gums. Eventually this can spread to your tongue. The feeling of sensitivity may move on towards rashes, immobility of jaw or numbness in lips. This can also mean a burning sensation.
Eventually, chewing tobacco will lead to oral cancer. Having your jaw erode and the cancer spread is the final casualty in chewing tobacco. While some say that it isn’t harmful, you will find many others who beg to differ. It is a habit of rubbing poison along your gums for extended periods of time. This is never a harmless act.
It is addictive and it is harmful. Before you choose to move from one danger to another, consider the idea of moving on to chewing on twigs or chewing gum. Easier said than done, but owning the truth about chewing tobacco is your first step in recovering your oral health.

Filed Under: Oral Cancer, Oral Health Care Tagged With: Cancer, Oral Cancer, Tobacco