Mouth cancer for clinicians part 4: risk factors (traditional: alcohol, betel and others) Nicholas Kalavrezos Crispian Scully Dental Update 2025 42:7, 707-709.
Authors
NicholasKalavrezos
FRCS, FFD RCSI, MD
Consultant in Head and Neck/Reconstructive Surgery, Head and Neck Centre, University College London Hospitals, London, UK
A MEDLINE search early in 2015 revealed more than 250,000 papers on head and neck cancer; over 100,000 on oral cancer; and over 60,000 on mouth cancer. Not all publications contain robust evidence. We endeavour to encapsulate the most important of the latest information and advances now employed in practice, in a form comprehensible to healthcare workers, patients and their carers. This series offers the primary care dental team, in particular, an overview of the aetiopathogenesis, prevention, diagnosis and multidisciplinary care of mouth cancer, the functional and psychosocial implications, and minimization of the impact on the quality of life of patient and family.
Clinical Relevance: This article offers the dental team an overview of the main cancer risk factors, namely tobacco and alcohol, betel and other chewing habits, and environmental factors.
Article
Mouth cancer arises out of DNA mutations (Article 1) which can affect various genes and are increased by various risk factors, which are mainly tobacco, alcohol and betel use. This article discusses alcohol, betel and similar habits, and occupational/environmental issues.
Alcohol is a depressant. A small amount depresses anxiety and inhibitions and can make the user feel sociable and talkative; too much and a hangover may result, and the person may not even remember actions; and large doses of alcohol in a single session could produce coma or even death. In people drinking too much alcohol over a long period, a range of serious behavioural and health problems can arise (Table 1; Figure 1). Alcohol use is widespread in most communities worldwide, except Islamic communities and others such as Seventh Day Adventists, but there are wide cultural and gender differences in consumption. Alcohol use is increasing in many countries, especially in the young.
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