India, Aug. 25 -- Originating from the cells of the tongue, tongue cancer is a common type of cancer, often charactersised by early symptoms of persistent red or white patches, sores, pain or numbness, and difficulty with movement or speaking. While HPV infections, alcohol and tobacco consumption are some of the main risk factors of tongue cancer, stress, and poor oral hygiene can also contribute heavily. Also read | Getting red patches inside mouth? Oncologist says beware of these 7 signs of tongue cancer

In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr. K. Sreekanth, senior consultant surgical oncologist, Yashoda Hospitals, Hyderabad explained how these key factors can increase the risk of tongue cancer.

"Excessive alcohol intake is one of the m...