Yes. Drinking alcohol increases your risk of mouth cancer, and the risk rises with every extra drink. The risk is highest when you drink heavily and smoke as well. Drinking less, and staying within the UK guideline of 14 units a week, helps lower your risk.
Many people know that smoking can cause mouth cancer. However, fewer people know that alcohol can too. Alcohol is one of the main causes of mouth cancer in the UK. This guide explains how alcohol harms your mouth. It also shows you the signs to look for and how to lower your risk.
What Is the Link Between Alcohol and Mouth Cancer?
The link between alcohol and mouth cancer means that drinking alcohol makes cancer in the mouth more likely. Experts at the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) class alcohol as a known cause of cancer. So, any type of alcoholic drink can raise your risk.
In fact, mouth cancer can start on the tongue, gums, lips, cheeks, the roof of the mouth or the floor of the mouth. Doctors also call it oral cancer.
How Does Alcohol Cause Mouth Cancer?
First, alcohol touches your mouth directly every time you drink. Then, your body and the germs in your mouth break it down. Here is how that can cause harm:
- It makes a harmful chemical: Your body turns alcohol into acetaldehyde. This chemical can damage the DNA in your cells.
- Mouth germs make it too: Some bacteria in your mouth also turn alcohol into acetaldehyde, right where it touches your gums and tongue.
- It helps other harmful chemicals get in: Alcohol makes it easier for chemicals from tobacco to soak into the lining of your mouth.
- It lowers your vitamins: Heavy drinking can stop your body from using vitamins well. As a result, your cells find it harder to repair damage.
- It causes cell stress: Alcohol creates unstable molecules that can harm healthy cells.
How Much Does Alcohol Raise the Risk?
Your risk depends on how much you drink. In short, the more you drink, the higher your risk. Research that combined many studies found this pattern for mouth and throat cancer:
| How much you drink each day | About how many UK units | Risk compared with non-drinkers |
| Around 2 small drinks | About 3 units | Almost 2 times higher |
| Around 4 drinks | About 6 units | Almost 3 times higher |
| Around 8 drinks | About 12 units | About 6 times higher |
These numbers show how much your risk grows. However, they do not mean that you will get cancer. Many things affect your own risk, such as smoking, age and your general health.
What Happens if You Drink and Smoke?
Drinking and smoking together is the most harmful mix for your mouth. On its own, each habit raises your risk. Together, however, they multiply each other. Therefore, people who drink heavily and smoke have a much higher risk than people who do just one.
Research suggests that alcohol and tobacco together cause most mouth and throat cancers. So, cutting down on both gives your mouth the best protection.
How Much Alcohol Is Safe in the UK?
No amount of alcohol is completely safe for cancer risk. However, the UK Chief Medical Officers advise that you drink no more than 14 units a week. They also advise that you spread these units over three or more days. Here is what one unit looks like:
- A single measure of spirits (25 ml): about 1 unit.
- A small glass of wine (125 ml): about 1.5 units.
- A standard glass of wine (175 ml): about 2.1 units.
- A pint of normal-strength beer or cider: about 2 to 3 units.
For example, six pints of beer or six standard glasses of wine in a week already reach about 14 units.
Does the Type of Drink Matter?
No. Beer, wine, cider and spirits all contain the same type of alcohol, called ethanol. So, the total amount of alcohol matters most, not the type of drink. Also, red wine does not protect you from cancer, despite what some people believe.
Can Mouthwash With Alcohol Cause Mouth Cancer?
Some mouthwashes also contain alcohol. At the moment, research does not clearly show that these mouthwashes cause mouth cancer. However, if you use mouthwash every day, an alcohol-free version is an easy switch. Ask your dentist which one suits you best.
Step-by-Step: How to Lower Your Risk of Mouth Cancer
Luckily, small changes can make a real difference. Follow these simple steps:
Step 1: Track How Much You Drink
First, count your units for one week. After all, many people drink more than they think. A free app, such as the NHS Drink Free Days app, can help.
Step 2: Stay Within 14 Units a Week
Next, keep your drinking within the UK guideline. Also, spread your drinks over at least three days, instead of drinking a lot in one go.
Step 3: Have Several Drink-Free Days
Then, plan a few days each week with no alcohol at all. Low- and no-alcohol drinks can help you enjoy social events.
Step 4: Stop Smoking
If you smoke, quitting is one of the best things you can do for your mouth. Your local NHS Stop Smoking Service can give you free support.
Step 5: Eat Plenty of Fruit and Vegetables
In addition, a healthy diet gives your body the vitamins it needs to repair cells. So, aim for at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day.
Step 6: Visit Your Dentist Regularly
Finally, keep up with your dental check-ups. Your dentist checks your whole mouth for early signs of cancer at every routine visit.
What Are the Signs of Mouth Cancer?
Above all, mouth cancer is easier to treat when someone finds it early. So, check your mouth often. See your dentist or GP if any of these signs last longer than three weeks:
- A mouth ulcer that does not heal.
- A red or white patch inside your mouth.
- A lump on your lip, mouth or neck.
- Pain or difficulty when you swallow.
- A loose tooth with no clear reason.
- A hoarse voice or a change in your voice.
- Numbness in your lip or tongue.
Most of the time, these signs have simple causes. Even so, it is always best to get them checked.
Does Your Risk Go Down if You Stop Drinking?
Yes. Your risk starts to fall after you cut down or stop drinking. However, it falls slowly. Research suggests that it can take many years for your risk to get close to that of someone who has never drunk alcohol. That is why it is never too early, or too late, to cut down.
Other Mouth Cancer Risk Factors
However, alcohol is not the only cause of mouth cancer. Other risk factors include:
- Smoking: This includes cigarettes, cigars and pipes.
- Chewing tobacco, betel quid and paan: These can harm the lining of your mouth.
- HPV: This common virus can cause some mouth and throat cancers.
- Sun on your lips: Too much sun can harm the skin of your lips.
- Age: Mouth cancer is more common in people over 40.
Key Benefits of Drinking Less for Your Mouth
- You lower your risk of mouth and throat cancer.
- Your mouth stays less dry, which helps protect your teeth.
- You lower your risk of gum disease and tooth wear.
- Your breath stays fresher.
- You also protect your liver, heart and general health.
FAQs
Can drinking alcohol cause mouth cancer on its own?
Yes. Alcohol can raise your risk of mouth cancer even if you do not smoke. However, the risk is much higher if you drink and smoke.
How many units of alcohol are safe for mouth cancer risk?
No amount is completely risk-free. However, the UK guideline is no more than 14 units a week, spread over three or more days.
Is wine safer than beer or spirits?
No. All alcoholic drinks contain the same type of alcohol. So, the total amount you drink matters most.
Does alcohol-free mouthwash lower cancer risk?
Research has not clearly linked alcohol mouthwash to mouth cancer. Still, alcohol-free mouthwash is a simple choice if you use it daily.
Can my dentist spot mouth cancer?
Yes. Your dentist checks your lips, tongue, cheeks, gums and throat at every check-up. As a result, they can often spot early changes before you notice them.
How long after I stop drinking does my risk drop?
Your risk starts to fall soon after you stop. However, it can take many years to reach the same level as a non-drinker.
Is mouth cancer common in the UK?
Mouth cancer is less common than some other cancers. However, the number of cases in the UK has risen over recent years.
Book Your Mouth Cancer Check at Alverna House Dental Practice
Cutting down on alcohol helps protect your mouth. However, regular check-ups matter just as much. At Alverna House Dental Practice in St Helens, our team checks your mouth for early signs of cancer at every routine visit. We can also give you friendly advice on drinking, smoking and your oral health. So, if you have a sore, patch or lump that will not go away, or you are due a check-up, book an appointment with Alverna House Dental Practice today. You can find us at 45 Blackbrook Road, St Helens, WA11 9QA.
