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Experts suggest that there are several steps you can take to slash your odds of oral cancer. Avoiding to***co and alcohol—especially in combination—can greatly reduce your risk, they say. "The combination of to***co and alcohol use increases the risk of head and neck cancer even more than either of the two alone," notes the site for the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. "Studies have shown that people who use to***co and alcohol together have a substantially greater risk of mouth cancer than people who only smoke or who only drink. According to the National Institutes of Health, ni****ne and alcohol together account for around 80 percent of mouth cancer in men and around 65 percent of mouth cancer in women," Cancer Center experts write.

While oral cancer accounts for just 3 percent of all cancers, it can be an aggressive disease depending upon when it is diagnosed. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to distinguish between a canker sore, cold sore, or oral cancer lesion—especially during the early stages when these ulcerations can appear similar. Experts say that the duration of the sore is a key indicator of cause for concern. While a typical cold or canker sore will heal within about two weeks, it can be a sign of a bigger problem if it lasts longer.

With little consistent patient screening or education on this disease, many people are unaware of the risk for this potentially life-threatening condition. A commonly missed symptom for oral cancer is unusual changes or sores in your mouth that don't heal within two weeks. If you notice this—or if you develop a sore that bleeds—it's important to have your doctor or dentist check it out.