Poor oral hygiene and dental trauma as the precipitating factors of squamous cell carcinoma

Oral cancer is one of the six most frequently occurring cancers. The most common type of oral cancer is squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Squamous cell carcinoma is a malignant neoplasm of mucosal origin. The most common site of intraoral squamous cell carcinoma is the lateral border and ventral surface of the tongue. The cause of oral SSC is multifactorial. In this paper, a case of SCC in the tongue due to poor oral hygiene and dental trauma is presented. The lesion was initially described by the patient as a dental trauma but biopsy-proven SCC on histopathologic evaluation. The emphasis is on early diagnosis and correct treatment planning which can affect the prognosis.