Abstract

Every year, more than 500 000 cases of primary head and neck cancer (HNC) are projected to be diagnosed in the world. Geographic disparities in HNC incidence rates still exist between and within countries in some cases. Although the prevalence of alcohol and cigarette use varies, these risk variables alone cannot explain geographical differences in HNC incidence rates. Oral malignancies, oropharyngeal cancers, hypo pharyngeal cancers, and laryngeal cancers are also examples of HNCs. Oral hygiene signs such as missing teeth, denture use, bleeding gums, infrequent dental visits, and infrequent tooth brushing have all been linked to the genesis of HNCs. Because of the small number of cases and the lack of specific information on more than one, the causative and independent role of oral hygiene in HNC development has remained equivocal. The majority of studies use oral hygiene as a criterion. Oral hygiene is not a known risk factor for HNCs, and the PAF of oral hygiene to HNCs has not been determined. Poor oral hygiene, regular mouthwash usage, and a lack of teeth brushing were all linked to an increased risk of HNC in separate analyses of Latin American and Central European case–control studies. Our research broadens the scope of this investigation to include countries from five continents and investigates the role of oral hygiene indicators. Oral hygiene and HNC data from the International Head and Neck Cancer Epidemiology (INHANCE)