Regular smoking impairs the functioning of oral mucosal cells, creating a constant irritation that increases the likelihood of oral cancer.
Smoking is an independent risk factor for the development of oral cancer. Smoking can significantly increase the risk of oral cancer, and the risk of oral cancer increases significantly with the increase of smoking. This is due to the fact that smoking can significantly increase the level of free radicals in the body, promote DNA damage and enhanced lipid peroxidation, and then damage the function of oral mucosal cells.
Tobacco contains carcinogenic substances such as nitrosamines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which can produce persistent stimulation of oral mucosal cells, resulting in an increased risk of carcinogenesis and a higher incidence of oral cancer. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that residents reduce the frequency of smoking or quit smoking, and clean their mouths in time after smoking to minimize the continuous stimulation of the oral cavity by tobacco.