A 39-year-old member asked:
How long does it take to get oral cancer from chewing tobacco? is there a known, calculated number?
2 doctor answers • 8 doctors weighed in
Dr. Daniel Quonanswered
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery 44 years experience
Depends: I am unaware of any published studies that can quantify how long you have to chew tobacco before being diagnosed.
Oral cancer from chewing tobacco is obviously a concern. The number of times you chewed tobacco and your risk of getting oral cancer may also be dependent upon the type of tobacco you chew, the location (if you keep it in the same location), as well as how long you chewed it each time.
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5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. James Batesanswered
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery 38 years experience
No: There is no known, calculated number for the time required to develop oral cancer from chewing tobacco. However, using smokeless tobacco greatly increases the risk of developing oral cancer. It would be in your best interest to discontinue using chewing tobacco!
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Scott Greenhalgh commented
Dentistry 35 years experience
Like other types of cancer, your risk is increased based upon family history, or other risk factors like drinking alcohol. Chewing tobacco is especially potent. Go in for an exam to see what early tissue changes may already be apparent.
Oct 15, 2012
Similar questions
A 30-year-old member asked:
Please tell me how long it takes for to get oral cancer from chewing tobacco?
2 doctor answers • 2 doctors weighed in
Dr. Gurmukh Singhanswered
Pathology 51 years experience
Usually years: It often takes years to develop oral cancer from chewing tobacco, however, there have been cases of teens developing oral cancer due to genetic susceptibility. Since one does not know one's genetic susceptibility, it is strongly advised to stay away from all tobacco products.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 38-year-old member asked:
How long does it take for chewing tobacco to cause oral cancer?
3 doctor answers • 7 doctors weighed in
Dr. Kathryn Wagneranswered
General Surgery 33 years experience
Oral cancer/tobacco: No one knows for sure so quit chewing. The spitting part is yucky anyway.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 41-year-old member asked:
How quickly can you get oral cancer from smokeless chewing tobacco?
2 doctor answers • 5 doctors weighed in
Dr. Gary Sandleranswered
Dentistry 56 years experience
Who knows?: I doubt there are any scientific studies to answer that question. The more you use the any type of tobacco, the greater your risks. Why play with fire and expose yourself to unnecessary health risks? In the end it's not worth it. Besides, if you are the 1 in million (just an arbitrary figure and expression) who gets oral cancer, for you its 100%.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 30-year-old member asked:
How often do you have to chew tobacco in order to get oral cancer?
3 doctor answers • 12 doctors weighed in
Dr. Theodore Davantzisanswered
Dentistry 42 years experience
No set amount: You can use it once and that is enough. There is no way to predict how your soft tissues will react to the carcinogens. In any event, every time you use it, it increases your chances. It's almost like playing the lottery, but in a very bad way... You don't want to be the winner of this prize. Quit while you're ahead.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.1k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Last updated Apr 13, 2018
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