Oral Mucosal Changes from Tobacco Use

A wide variety of mucosal changes have been noted in habitual users of smoked and smokeless tobacco. These changes most likely result from the many irritants, toxins, and carcinogens found naturally in cured or burned tobacco leaves, but may also arise from the mucosal drying effects, the high intraoral temperatures, intraoral pH changes, local alteration of membrane barriers and immune responses