How harmful is paan-chewing
Chewing meetha-paan without areca nut (supari) and tobacco (zarda) may be ok. At the moment, there are no studies to indicate if it is harmful to chew the meetha-paan that does not contain supari and zarda. What is definitely known is that supari and zarda are harmful to health.
Both supari and zarda cause cancer of the oral cavity (mouth) and stomach.
Be careful when you order your paan the next time: make sure you give instructions to the paan-maker not to put supari and zarda. Ordering a meetha-paan that is without these two ingredients (supari and zarda) may be a good idea.
In the absence of studies on meetha-paan, it is suggested to avoid having it daily.
In a study conducted in Southern India in 2002, it was found that 95 percent of oral cancer among women was due to chewing paan (containing supari and/or zarda) and poor oral hygiene; while 35 percent of oral cancer in men was due to smoking and drinking alcohol and 45 percent was due to paan-tobacco chewing (containing supari and/or zarda).
Dr. Ajay Sati.
