Cancer of the Mouth

You’ve heard about brain cancer, breast cancer, and lung cancer, but did you know that the mouth can develop cancer, too? Mouth cancer, a.k.a. oral cancer, results from abnormal cell formation within any part of the mouth. This condition affects people who are in their 40s and over, and is more prevalent among men than women. The American Dental Association estimates that about 39,000 Americans develop oral and pharyngeal cancer each year.

Risk factor increases with smoking, tobacco, and alcohol use; exposure to sun, radiation treatment, and certain chemicals such as sulfuric acid, asbestos, and formaldehyde; human papilloma virus infection; high diet of red meat, processed meat, and fried foods; consumption of betel nuts; and GERD (gastro-esophageal reflux disease).