Oral cancer is among the commonly seen cancers in the world. Each year, about 300,000 new cases of oral cancer are detected worldwide. It also leads to about 145,000 deaths annually. Five‑year survival of patients with early oral cancer is between 55% and 60% and it decreases to 30% and 40% in cases of advanced oral cancer. These cancers are associated with the use of tobacco, betel quid, areca nut, smoking, and alcohol consumption.
In addition to these, long‑standing irritation has been postulated as a risk factor. Chronic irritation may result from poor oral hygiene, poor dentition, missing teeth, and ill‑fitting dentures. However, the role of these conditions in developing oral cancer has been debatable. We, therefore, decided to conduct a review of literature to evaluate the role of chronic irritation resulting from these conditions in causing oral cancer.
