Every year, more than 51,000 people are predicted to receive a diagnosis of oral cancer as well as malignancies of the tonsils, back of the tongue, and throat. At a routine check-up, a dentist can look for signs of oral cancer. Treatment for such malignancies benefits from early identification, but you should also be aware of the risk factors and behaviors that might make you vulnerable. Your risk of acquiring oral cancer may be decreased by altering a few potentially dangerous behaviors. Discover the main risk factors by reading on.

HPV, or human papillomavirus

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the STI is now linked to around 9,000 head and neck cancer cases (namely those that occur at the back of the tongue, in or near the tonsils) that are identified annually in the United States. Most individuals with an HPV-related cancer diagnosis are young and do not smoke. Even though HPV-positive malignancies are frequently discovered later because they grow in hard-to-detect locations, those who have them have a decreased chance of dying or having them return.

Gender

Oral cancer is twice as common in men. According to the American Cancer Society, men are more likely to use alcohol and tobacco, and more young men are receiving diagnoses of mouth cancer linked to HPV.

Age

Most persons who are diagnosed with oral cancer are 55 or older. However, the American Cancer Society reports that younger people are now also receiving diagnoses for HPV-related oral malignancies.

Smoking

It significantly raises your chance of developing oral cancer, whether you chew or smoke tobacco. In addition to cancer in other places of the body, smoking can cause cancer in the mouth. Additionally, pipe smokers are more likely to have lip cancer. Chew tobacco and other smokeless tobacco products can cause a variety of oral health problems, the most serious of which is cancer of the lips, cheeks, and gums.

Alcohol

Seven out of ten individuals with oral cancer are heavy drinkers, according to the American Cancer Society. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), heavy drinking is defined as consuming two drinks or more per day on average for males and more than one drink per day on average for women. You have a much higher risk of acquiring mouth cancer if you smoke and drink excessively.