On October 4, 2026, dental professionals set up an oral cancer prevention camp at Khadija Kazi Ali Memorial High School in Surjani Town. The Pakistan Dental Association brought screening and practical guidance to local families, with a focus on recognising concerning changes and understanding the risks linked to harmful chewing products.
Participants received oral screenings and advice on caring for their oral health. Dental professionals urged people to get routine check-ups and seek an assessment when problems develop, rather than waiting for severe pain or advanced disease.
The Global Burden of Disease Study 2023 estimated that about 241 million people aged 15 and older used chewing tobacco worldwide. It attributed about 251,000 preventable premature deaths and 6.48 million healthy life-years lost to chewing tobacco; Pakistan had an estimated 13.2 million users.
Changes that need assessment
A mouth ulcer that persists should be assessed by a qualified dentist or doctor. The same goes for an unusual growth, or a change in the colour or texture of oral tissues. These signs do not necessarily mean cancer, but persistent or worsening changes should not be ignored or treated only with home remedies.
The camp also covered regular brushing and oral cleanliness. The World Health Organization identifies tobacco and alcohol among the leading causes of oral cancer. It also identifies areca nut as a leading cause.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies areca nut as carcinogenic to humans. Its use is also associated with oral submucous fibrosis, a potentially malignant condition that can progressively restrict mouth opening.
Students and community partners supported the outreach
PDA members worked with volunteers from Fatima Jinnah Dental College. Students from Baqai Dental College also took part. So did volunteers from Altamash Institute of Dental Medicine and Ziauddin College of Dentistry. A separate school screening report described student outreach in Malir Cantt; independent confirmation of that programme or its results was not found.
Research reported by the International Agency for Research on Cancer estimated that smokeless tobacco or areca nut use accounted for about one in three oral cancer cases worldwide in 2022. A separate tobacco-attributable cancer analysis estimated that tobacco accounted for 34.4% of oral cancer cases among men globally. The estimate for women was 22.8%. The study linked South Asia's higher attributable burden to smokeless tobacco prevalence and product availability. It also cited the combined use of different tobacco forms. At the camp, residents were encouraged to avoid gutka. They were also urged to avoid mainpuri and naswar, along with tobacco and other smokeless products, and to seek professional support to stop using them.
Platinum Pharmaceuticals provided medicines and toothpaste for distribution. Colgate supplied goody bags containing oral healthcare products, giving participants practical items to support oral hygiene at home.
The Global Burden of Disease Study 2023 estimated that 13.2 million people in Pakistan used chewing tobacco, within a worldwide total of about 241 million users aged 15 and older. Those figures appear in a global burden assessment.
