cancer of the mouth

the bottom line

You probably already know that using smokeless tobacco can cause mouth cancer. But you may not have realized that smoking also puts you at risk for this disease. Smoking can cause cancers on the lip, tongue, or other locations in the mouth. The surgery that's needed to treat oral cancer can cause permanent changes in the appearance of a person's face. Even worse, some people who get oral cancer die of this disease. The more cigarettes you smoke and the longer you smoke, the higher your risk of oral cancer.