Health Tips: Understanding Betel Nuts,Its Health Side Effects and Possible Preventive Measures

Imagine you walking on the street in Southern Asia or Somewhere in the Western Africa, then a person gives a friendly smiles but you could see from the smile the persons teeth that are Black and his/her mouth filled with blood-red saliva. Your first thought was that the person is chewing betel nut but you still gave the benefit of doubt. But the to clear your doubt, He/She spits on the pavement, leaving an unsightly red stain then you confirmed that he/she is definitely chewing betel nuts. Have you seen anyone or do you know anyone chewing betel nuts? what is betel nuts and what are its effect to the body?

What is betel nut?

What is commonly called betel nut is actually the fleshy fruit of the areca palm(betel palm), this is a tropical plant found in the pacific and southeast Asia. But the betel nut get its name from an urelated plant known as the betel-pepper.betel nut chewers wrap a piece of areca fruit in a betel-pepper leaf, along with a little mineral lime. The lime promotes the release of alkaloid stimulants. some chewers add spices, tobacco or sweetners to enhance its flavour.This stimulates the production of saliva and colors it blood-red.

 Processed Betel nut seed. photo Credit: google

Hence, chewers spit frequently, even out of moving vehicles this is a danger even to passerby!A report in Oral Health says that "Arecal nut has been used since antiquity and has assumed major social, cultural and even religious roles". The chewers of Betel nut always consider or sees it to be harmless and they report a sense of well-being,happiness and a warm sensation of the body but in reality, evidence has shown betel nut is very dangerous because it has been linked with Mouth Odor, colorization of the teeth, mouth cancer to name a few.

Betel nut is linked to a form of mouth cancer called oral squamous cell carcinoma, which can also occur at the back of the throat. In-fact the high incidence of oral cancer among adults in southeast Asia seems to be establishing this fact. For example, in Taiwan area, it is estimated that about 85 percent oral cancer cases occur in betel-nut chewers. in addition the China post says "Taiwans's rate of oral cancer-one of the island's top 10 causes of death- has nearly quadrupled in the past 40 years".

        Mouth Cancer Possible after effect of chewing betel nut.Photo Credit:Google
 
 In addition to causing caner, drug prevention authorities in many countries believe that one of the alkaloids in betel nut can be habit forming. It is a known fact that some chewers chews up to 50 betel nuts a day and this quickly result to teeth becoming stained and gum disease may follow. Also they develop a "chronic, progressive, scarring of oral mucous" a condition called oral sub-mucous fibrosis.
 

How to Stop Chewing Betel nut

Be Motivated: To overcome a bad habit, you need stronger motivation than merely knowing about the risk to your health. You need to think about others as to how it affects your loved ones and peoples around you. Chewing betel nuts not only endanger you but also endanger the people around you.
Seek The Support of Others: The people with whom you associate can have a powerful influence on you for good or for bad. the Bible even warns that," he that walks with the wise person will become wise but he that walks with the stupid one will are badly". So to avoid betel nut chewing you need to choose your associates wisely because you don't expect to change the habit if you keep hanging out with friends that chew betel nuts always.

Please Note: If the preventing measure above can't help you then seek professional advice and also Ask God for help. If You know betel nuts and know other preventive measures, Please share via your comment below.