Oral Cancer Risk Factors
Tobacco and excessive alcohol use increase the risk of oral cancer. Using both tobacco and alcohol poses a much greater risk than using either substance alone. Chewing tobacco in the form of Gutkha poses a great risk as well.
Sunlight
Exposure to sunlight is a risk factor for lip cancer.
Age
Oral cancer is typically a disease of older people usually because of their longer exposure to risk factors. Incidence of oral cancer rises steadily with age, reaching a peak in persons age 64–74.
Gender
Oral cancer strikes men twice as often as it does women.