Smoking: are you still unaware?

A survey suggests the public are still unaware of the dangers posed by smoking.

in a new survey conducted recently, more than one in four people (28 per cent)

are still unaware that smoking is the leading cause of mouth cancer, a disease that kills

one person every five hours

 

 

 

A lack of knowledge didn’t stop at traditional cigarettes. When questioned about

some alternatives, more than half (57 per cent) thought  shisha

pipes (51 per cent) are safe alternatives to smoking while just under half (48 per cent)

thought smokeless tobacco is a safe substitute.

 

Smoking and tobacco use is still the leading cause of mouth cancer. According

to the World Health organization, up to half of current users will eventually die of

a tobacco-related illness.

 

Smoking can also cause a variety of oral health problems including

-tooth staining,

-dental plaque,

-bad breath,

-tooth loss

-gum disease.

 

A study reveals “on average, smokers lose about 16 years of their life.”

 

 

 

Given the substantial investment in anti-smoking campaigns over the last ten years i would have

hoped for fewer people to be unaware of the risks posed by the habit.

“However, the survey alongside rising cases of mouth cancer shows there is still a

large percentage of the population we must reach out to and educate. If combined

with drinking alcohol to excess, these two habits can raise the rise of developing the

disease by up to 30 times.

 

“Poor diet and the human papillomavirus (HPV), transmitted via oral sex, are also

risk factors. to ensure early detection - something that can transform survival rates

from 50 per cent to up to 90 per cent - we must all look for ulcers that do not heal

within three weeks, unusual lumps or swellings and red or white patches in the mouth.

our message to everyone is

 

“if in doubt, get checked out.”