Since many decades, chewing tobacco has been in association with oral cancer. The risk of developing oral cancer is more in tobacco chewing.
What causes cancer in tobacco chewers:
- The tobacco particles remains in the mouth in contact with the mucous membrane.
- Continuous exposure of the oral cavity to carcinogenic agent tends to develop oral cancers under prolonged use.
- The parts of the oral cavity exposed to tobacco are – lips, tongue, cheeks, gums, floor of the mouth and roof of the mouth.
Early signs of cancer:
- A sore that does not heal
- A lump or white patch
- A prolonged sore throat
- Difficulty in chewing
- Restricted movement of the tongue or jaws
- A feeling of something in the throat
Instances showing hazardous effects of Chewing Tobacco:
Tobacco Chewing has been quite popular among sports players.
- Bill Tuttle:
Bill Tuttle used to be the outfielder for Detroit Tigers, The Kansas City Athletics; Minnesota Twins & Tutle. He was so used to tobacco chewing that spectators always used to find one of his cheeks bulging during all his matches in most of his career. After 38 years of end of his baseball career, he developed a bulge in his cheek. It was a huge tumour that came out through his cheek skin. After undergoing surgery, he lost lots of teeth and gumline, his jawbone, his taste buds and right cheekbone. Finally tobacco chewing claimed his life in 1998.
- Babe Ruth: Babe Ruth was another baseball player who was very fond of chewing tobacco. He developed Oropharyngeal tumour that at the back part of his throat and died at the age of 52.
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