Smoking and alcohol consumption are the main risk factors for oral cancer

Today oral cancer is one of the most common cancers worldwide, it is more frequent in men than women, and it usually appears at the age of 60.

Early detection is essential to manage this disease, and it is possible since the most common sites for oral cancer are very visible areas such as the tongue, the inside of the cheeks, and the floor of the mouth. Therefore, to guide dental professionals and improve the prevention of this disease, the FDI World Dental Federation and SUNSTAR, a holistic healthcare company, have developed a chairside guide to prevent and treat Oral Cancer.

Today (Monday, February 4) is World Cancer Day. It is relevant to remind that smoking and alcohol consumption are the main risk factors for oral cancer. In fact, tobacco (smoking and smokeless such as chewing tobacco) causes 90% of oral cancers. On top of that, individuals who smoke and drink have a 35-fold increase in developing this condition.

"About 500,000 new cases of oral and oropharyngeal cancers are diagnosed annually, three-quarters of which occur in the developing world,” said Dr Ihsane Ben Yahya, FDI Council member and oral cancer expert. Consequently, encouraging the dental professionals to conduct oral screenings for early detection of this disease as well as helping them to work together for better management are the main priorities of the chairside guide launched by the FDI and SUNSTAR.