Many Guangdong people may think that chewing betel nut may be a habit of some people and have little to do with them. For example, in some cities in Hunan, after everyone meets and greets each other, it has become a social etiquette to "spread betel nut" with each other.

On September 10, 36-year-old Hunan singer Fu Song died of oral cancer due to chewing betel nut . As soon as this news came out, it attracted widespread attention from the society and immediately became a hot search. In June this year, Fu Song posted the last video, saying that oral cancer had relapsed three times, and his left face in the video was already ulcerated and blood kept dripping. Betel nut causes cancer to become a hot topic again.

Many Guangdong people may think that chewing betel nut may be a habit of some people and have little to do with them. For example, in some cities in Hunan, after everyone meets and greets each other, it has become a social etiquette to "spread betel nut" with each other. Little did they know that betel nut - the "culprit" behind oral cancer, has already successfully invaded Guangdong! In the past two months, the Department of Oral Mucosal Diseases in Yuexiu Campus, the Affiliated Oral Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, conducted a survey. They randomly surveyed 70 patients who had chewed betel nut for a long time and suffered from one or more oral mucosal diseases. The results showed that more than one-quarter were from Guangdong Province!

Patients with chewing betel nuts have a younger age

Survey found that among the patients who came to the Department of Oral Mucosal Diseases in Yuexiu Campus of Guangyi Dental Hospital, the proportion of the first experience of chewing betel nuts was under the age of 20 was 28%, and the proportion between the ages of 20 and 30 was close to 60%. This once again shows that the trend of younger age among patients chewing betel nut is very obvious. Health education for adolescents and young people needs to be strengthened urgently. "Last year we introduced a case where a 21-year-old college student could not open his mouth due to chewing betel nut. It took only one year to get a precancerous oral mucosal fibrosis, a 21-year pharmacist at the Department of Oral Mucosal Diseases. "The oral submucosal fibrosis can be said to be a disease caused by betel nut. If betel nut is not available, the oral submucosal fibrosis will almost disappear from people's sight, and the incidence of oral cancer will be greatly reduced."

More than one-third of patients chew betel nut to "refresh the mind"

Nearly one-third of patients said that they have a "addiction" in chewing betel nut, and they will feel weak and uncomfortable if they don't chew it every day. More than one-third of patients said they chew betel nut to "refresh". A few patients also say that they chew betel nuts because of social pressure.

But can chewing betel nut really refresh your mind? Dr. Bao said: "Refreshing the mind" can be seen in many betel nut advertisements. Betel nut contains more alkaloids, which will stimulate the cerebral cortex after consumption, and excite central nervous system , which has a certain refreshing effect. However, betel nut is highly addictive and has severe psychological dependence after long-term chewing, and patients are prone to become listless. To sum up, betel nut is refreshing, but it is addictive and carcinogenic. In order to refresh the spirit, chewing betel nut is not worth the cost.

In addition, the survey results found that the habit of chewing betel nuts is related to the profession, education level, and monthly income. Dr. Bao said: "We found that more than 90% of the patients, and their friends and relatives around us also have the habit of chewing betel nuts."

Bao Zhexuan, chief physician of the Department of Oral Mucosal Diseases, Yuexiu Hospital, Affiliated Oral Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University,

Dr. Bao finally called out, "The dead are gone. As oral health practitioners, we feel sad and regretful for every patient who died of oral cancer due to chewing betel nuts. At the same time, we are eager to realize that in Guangdong, especially for young people, health publicity on the harm of betel nuts is also needed. We strongly urge everyone to understand the harm of betel nuts and make similar tragedies happen as little as possible and not happen."

Interview and writing: Nandu reporter Zeng Wenqiong

Correspondent: Zhang Manli Li Yaowen Guo Qianqian

Intern: Wang Qinhui