There is a clear need to inform and educate the public in matters relating to the known risk factors associated with oral cancer. A media campaign informing the public about oral cancer is clearly required. The need for the reduction in the incidence of oral cancer should be included in 'Our healthier nation' targets. An overall health promotion strategy to reduce cancers should include oral cancer as a priority. In addition the European Code against Cancer which aims to improve prevention, the early detection of oral cancer and the necessity for fast track referral should be made more widely known. Recognition of oral cancer in local strategies for oral health should be encouraged.

In comparison with previous oral mucosal screening programmes undertaken in several settings in the UK, the present study has yielded a higher prevalence of oral mucosal diseases and conditions in this risk population. There are several ways in which alcohol could contribute to these detected oral lesions, either directly or indirectly.

Alcohol and drug abuse are detrimental to general and oral health. Though we know the effects of these harmful habits on oral mucosa, their independent and combined effect on the dental caries experience is unknown and worthy of investigation. We compared 363 “alcohol only” abusers to 300 “alcohol and drug” abusers to test the hypothesis that various components of their dental caries experience are significantly different due to plausible sociobiological explanations. After controlling for the potential confounders, we observe that the “alcohol and drug” group had a 38% higher risk of having decayed teeth compared to the “alcohol only” group (P < .05). As expected, those who belonged to a higher social class (OR = 1.98; 95%  CI = 1.43–2.75) and drank wine (OR = 1.85; 95%  CI = 1.16–2.96) had a higher risk of having more filled teeth. We conclude that the risk of tooth decay among “alcohol only” abusers is significantly lower compared to “alcohol and drug” abusers.

The aggressivity of adult males and females was evaluated by measuring (1)the frequency of aggressive displays that individuals made toward a mirror image stimulus following varying periods of social isolation, (2) the display frequency in brief, unisexual and bisexual bouts with live opponents, and (3)the reinforcing effects of mirror image stimulation on performance of an approach response. Isolation up to seven days increased aggressivity in both sexes. Males performed lateral display toward a mirror image or a live conspecific more frequently than females. Mirror image stimulation also was a stronger positive reinforcer in males than in females. Investigations in various anabantoid fishes show that aggressive behavior in males can readily be elicited by visual presentation of another male (

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