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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Addicted To Chewable Tobacco. White Patch On Lower Gum. Risk Of Getting Oral Cancer?

I ve been using manikchand (Indian version of chewable tobacco) to handle family and personal stress for the past 100 days. Usage has increased starting at one per day to now about 5 - 6 packets per day. Do I have a risk of getting oral cancer? I am really considering stopping and finding other ways to handle stress. I have a very small white patch on the gums of my lower teeth line. Is this something I need to be worried about? After each use, I make sure to rinse my mouth with listerine . Please help. Thanks !
Mon, 18 Mar 2013
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Oncologist, Surgical,  's  Response
Dear Sir,

Thank you for seeking help at HCM. Your habit of chewing tobacco does put you at a very high risk of oral cancer and it would be advisable to give up your habit as soon as possible.
Sometimes it is not possible to reverse the damage already caused by these agents. The white patch you have described, is most likely a leukoplakic patch (which itself is a pre-malignant condition). You should visit an onco-surgeon and have that patch examined. The surgeon might perform a biopsy to confirm the diagnosis.
Although it is a good habit to use a mouth wash but it does nothing to reduce the effect of tobacco on your oral mucosa.

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Addicted To Chewable Tobacco. White Patch On Lower Gum. Risk Of Getting Oral Cancer?

Dear Sir, Thank you for seeking help at HCM. Your habit of chewing tobacco does put you at a very high risk of oral cancer and it would be advisable to give up your habit as soon as possible. Sometimes it is not possible to reverse the damage already caused by these agents. The white patch you have described, is most likely a leukoplakic patch (which itself is a pre-malignant condition). You should visit an onco-surgeon and have that patch examined. The surgeon might perform a biopsy to confirm the diagnosis. Although it is a good habit to use a mouth wash but it does nothing to reduce the effect of tobacco on your oral mucosa.