Freshly
cooked hot soup, boiling hot pot
Many people believe that "eating while it's hot" warms the heart and stomach, but they are unaware that doing so for a long time can silently damage the oral mucosa and even increase the risk of oral cancer.
Professor Qian Yong, Assistant to the President and Director of the Head and Neck Surgery Department at Hainan Cancer Hospital, issued a health warning regarding the traditional dietary habit of "eating while hot".
Eating at high temperatures exceeding 60℃ can damage the mucous membrane. Four types of food pose high risks
"The upper tolerance limit of the oral and esophageal mucosa is only 40℃-50℃, but many foods in daily life have temperatures far exceeding this range," Professor Qian Yong explained. Freshly fried foods, boiled hot pot ingredients, and freshly prepared hot soup and Congee often reach temperatures above 60℃, with some even exceeding 80℃. Contact with the mucosa can directly cause mild burns.
A single burn can heal on its own within a few days, but long-term repeated "burn-repair" cycles can disrupt the normal function of the mucosa, leading to abnormal cell proliferation, which in turn can progress to precancerous lesions and ultimately induce oral cancer. The World Health Organization has classified "consuming hot beverages at temperatures above 65°C" as a Group 2A carcinogen, explicitly indicating its carcinogenic risk to humans.
Professor Qian Yong particularly pointed out that the risks of four types of "hot-to-eat" foods are particularly prominent.
1. People are accustomed to quickly swallowing hot soup and Congee, which directly irritates the throat and esophageal mucosa due to the high temperature;
2. Hot pot and Spicy Hot Pot, with high-temperature ingredients paired with spicy seasonings, create a dual stimulus of "physical + chemical";
3. For fried and barbecued foods, the surface temperature can reach over 100℃, and the crispy texture tends to make people overlook the harm of high temperatures;
4. Drinking hot beverages such as coffee and strong tea at temperatures above 65℃ for a long time can continuously "bake" the mucous membrane.
Oral cancer has 5 major warning signs. If these symptoms persist for 2 weeks, it is imperative to seek medical attention
"Early symptoms of oral cancer are easily confused with oral ulcers and gingivitis, leading many patients to miss the best treatment opportunity." Professor Qian Yong reminds that if the following five conditions persist for more than two weeks without relief, it is necessary to immediately visit the dentist for examination:
Firstly, for long-term unhealed oral ulcers, ordinary oral ulcers can heal themselves within 1-2 weeks. If the ulcer boundary is blurred, the texture becomes hard, the pain intensifies, and there is no improvement after more than 2 weeks, it may be a signal of cancer cell proliferation;
Secondly, the presence of abnormal lumps or white patches in the oral cavity, white or gray patches on the mucosa that cannot be wiped off, or hard nodules or lumps that can be felt, regardless of whether they are painful or not, may indicate precancerous lesions;
Thirdly, abnormal color of oral mucosa, unexplained redness, blackening, or recurrent erosion and bleeding indicate that the mucosa has undergone abnormal changes;
Fourthly, difficulties in swallowing, chewing, or speaking, a sensation of a foreign body in the throat, painful swallowing, or abnormal tooth occlusion and inflexible tongue movement may be caused by cancer cells invading surrounding tissues;
Fifthly, unexplained toothache or tooth loosening, with no signs of tooth decay or periodontal disease but persistent toothache or sudden tooth loosening, may indicate cancer cell invasion of the alveolar bone.
In addition, Professor Qian Yong emphasized that individuals who smoke, drink alcohol, chew betel nut for a long time, and those with a family history of oral cancer have significantly higher risks of developing the disease than ordinary people, and thus need to pay more attention to oral health monitoring.
There are 5 key points to prevent oral cancer, starting from daily habits
"Preventing oral cancer does not require complex measures; the key is to adjust daily habits and reduce mucosal irritation." Based on clinical experience, Professor Qian Yong offers five specific suggestions:
Firstly, strictly control the temperature of food and drink. Allow food to cool down for 5-10 minutes after preparation, and consume it only when the temperature drops to around 40℃ (not too hot to the mouth). Sip a sip of hot beverage to test its temperature before drinking. Secondly, reduce the intake of irritants, quit smoking, limit alcohol consumption, and stay away from betel nut (which has been classified as a Group 1 carcinogen). At the same time, eat less spicy, overly hot, or overly salty foods. Thirdly, maintain a balanced diet to supplement nutrition. Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables to supplement vitamins and dietary fiber, and consume moderate amounts of high-quality proteins such as fish, meat, eggs, and milk to aid in mucosal repair;
In addition, it is important to maintain daily oral hygiene by brushing your teeth morning and evening, rinsing your mouth after meals, flossing your teeth, and having your teeth cleaned 1-2 times a year to prevent periodontal disease and oral infections. Lastly, regular dental check-ups are recommended, at least once a year for the general population and once every 6 months for high-risk groups, to achieve early detection, diagnosis, and treatment.
Expert Introduction
Qian Yong, Chief Physician
Doctor of Oncology (post-doctoral)
Supervisor of master's degree students
The second batch of "Nanhai Famous Figures" in Hainan Province
High-level "leading talents" in Hainan Province
Medical expertise: Specialized in the surgical treatment of various benign and malignant tumors of the head and neck, including thyroid tumors, nasopharyngeal cancer, oral cancer, and pharyngeal tumors; particularly skilled in the repair and functional reconstruction of defects after head and neck tumor surgery, as well as precise and minimally invasive treatment of facial tumors that also consider facial appearance.
Article | Huang Fei