Asbestos Mouth

Product Information

Asbestos is a general name given to several naturally occurring fibrous minerals that have crystallised to form fibres. Asbestos fibres do not dissolve in water or evaporate, they are resistant to heat, fire, chemical and biological degradation and are mechanically strong. Cases of mesothelioma have also been seen in individuals without occupational asbestos exposure who live close to asbestos mines ( 12). In addition, the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Program provides benefits to longshoremen, harbor workers, other maritime workers, and other classes of private industry workers who are injured during the course of employment or suffer from diseases caused or worsened by conditions of employment. Information about eligibility and how to file a claim for benefits under either of these programs is available from: Chrysotile asbestos fibres are soft, flexible and curved and far less hazardous than the amphibole type. All forms of asbestos fibres are hazardous as they can induce cancer following inhalation exposure, but amphibole forms of asbestos (including blue and brown) are more hazardous to health than chrysotile (white).

Asbestos is a naturally occurring fibre that was widely used in construction and other industries until the late 1990s. The three types of asbestos fibres most commonly used in the UK are: Pharyngeal cancer is so rare that few studies are available to analyze for an association with asbestos exposure. Overall, the evidence is suggestive but not sufficient to confirm a causal relationship. Cancer Screening Among Asbestos-Exposed Workers Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on Asbestos. (2006). Asbestos: Selected Cancers: Pharyngeal cancer and asbestos. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK20317/ We can advise homeowners on the detection and safe removal of low-risk asbestos from houses, sheds and garages . Homeowners have a legal responsibility to ensure that any asbestos in houses is safe.Overall, research indicates a modestly positive association between asbestos exposure and pharyngeal cancer. Though the association has not been as clear as that of laryngeal cancer and asbestos, for example. Duke University Medical Center. (2010, December 15). Epstein-Barr: Scientists decode secrets of a very common virus that can cause cancer. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/12/101215121905.htm Brandi, G. & Tavolari, S. (2020, February 12). Asbestos and Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7072580/

Ask your doctor about getting vaccines against flu, pneumonia, COVID-19, and other respiratory infections.

Preventing leukoplakia and mouth cancer

Tell your doctor if you start to have symptoms that might be related to asbestos exposure. Symptoms include shortness of breath, a new or worsening cough, coughing up blood, pain or tightness in the chest, trouble swallowing, or unintended weight loss. See your doctor right away for any respiratory illness. Inhalation of asbestos fibers has been linked to an increased risk of lung cancerin many studies of asbestos-exposed workers. This increased risk is seen with all forms of asbestos (there is no “safe” type of asbestos in terms of lung cancer risk). In general, the greater the exposure to asbestos, the higher the risk of lung cancer. Most cases of lung cancer in asbestos workers develop at least a decade after first exposure to asbestos. According to certain studies, the risk of oral and pharyngeal cancers among heavy drinkers and smokers may be as high as 100 times more than nonsmokers or nondrinkers. The combination of smoking and drinking together increases the risk far greater than either on their own.