Smoking cigarettes is a popular pastime. Fathom this: cigarette makers sold more than 173 billion cigarettes to U.S. wholesalers and retailers in 2022 alone, according to Federal Trade Commission data. It’s common knowledge that tobacco use is the main cause of lung cancer. On another front, nearly a third of American adults are “excessive” drinkers, and 10 percent of them are alcoholics. Heavy smokers and drinkers are 15 times more susceptible to oral cancers than people who don’t use both. The combined substantial use of alcohol and tobacco products (including smokeless tobacco) puts people at an especially high risk of contracting the disease.
An oral and maxillofacial surgeon is your go-to doctor to treat oral cancer, as well as to perform surgeries on teeth, gums, jaws, and the oral and facial structures that surround them. This type of specialist must have exceptional hand-eye coordination and a keen eye for detail to perform delicate and precise procedures. Patients get those imperative qualities and so much more at the office of Harmony Dental Implants & Oral Surgery.
Tobacco and alcohol synergistically interact, increasing each other’s harmful effects. Understanding how alcohol affects the mouth is key to identifying how it works with tobacco to increase the chances of getting oral cancer. Alcohol dehydrates the cells on the inside soft tissues of the mouth. This demoisturizing increases the ability of tobacco’s carcinogens to penetrate those soft tissues. Chronic alcohol use often leads to poor dietary choices and skipping meals, both of which contribute to nutritional deficiencies. Heavy drinking can also lower the body’s natural ability to use antioxidants to prevent cancers from forming.
Quitting cigarettes and stopping or reducing alcohol will have an immediate positive effect of lowering your chances of getting oral cancer. Research shows the added risk continues to decline the longer someone stays away from tobacco and heavy alcohol use, with risk approaching that of people who never smoked or drank heavily after about two decades of cessation.
Three sobering facts about oral cancer in the United States:
- About 60,480 new cases are identified annually, according to the American Cancer Society’s 2026 estimates.
- Every year, oral cancer causes the death of about 13,150 people in the United States, per the American Cancer Society.
- Oral cancer represents 2.2 percent of all cancer deaths.
Frequently Asked Questions About Smoking, Alcohol, and Oral Cancer Risk
How do smoking and drinking together raise the risk of oral cancer?
Tobacco and alcohol amplify each other’s harmful effects on the tissues of the mouth. Alcohol can dry out and irritate the soft tissue lining the mouth, which appears to make it easier for the carcinogens in tobacco to penetrate those tissues. Research shows that people who use both tobacco and alcohol heavily face a substantially higher risk of oral cancer than people who use either substance alone.
Does smokeless tobacco carry the same oral cancer risk as cigarettes?
Yes. Smokeless tobacco products still expose the tissues of the mouth directly to cancer-causing chemicals, so they carry their own increased risk of oral cancer. Combining any form of tobacco, smoked or smokeless, with heavy alcohol use adds to that risk.
What are common early signs of oral cancer?
Possible early signs include a mouth sore that does not heal, a persistent red or white patch on the gums, tongue, or lining of the mouth, unexplained bleeding, numbness, or a lump or thickening in the cheek. These signs can also have other, less serious causes, so any change that lasts more than two weeks is worth having evaluated by a dentist or oral surgeon.
If I quit smoking and cut back on alcohol, how quickly does my risk go down?
Reducing or quitting tobacco and heavy alcohol use begins lowering oral cancer risk right away, and the benefit continues to build over time. Studies following former smokers and drinkers show that risk keeps declining the longer someone stays away from both substances, gradually approaching the risk level of someone who never smoked or drank heavily.
When should I see an oral and maxillofacial surgeon about a concern in my mouth?
An oral and maxillofacial surgeon can evaluate persistent sores, unusual patches, lumps, or other changes in the mouth and jaw, and is trained to diagnose and treat oral cancer along with a wide range of oral and facial conditions. If you notice a change that does not resolve on its own, scheduling an evaluation is a reasonable next step.
The office of Harmony Dental Implants & Oral Surgery takes pride in its outstanding service, attention to detail and friendly professionalism. No matter what your oral surgery needs are, you will receive excellent care and clear explanations of the best options available to you. We look forward to exceeding your expectations. Please call us today for an appointment.