Two glasses of wine a day could triple the risk of mouth cancer

A government campaign is warning drinkers that consuming two glasses of wine per day could increase their risk of mouth cancer

You might think a couple of glasses of a wine per day is reserved, but the NHS suggests this regular pattern of drinking could triple your risk of mouth cancer.

A new government campaign will warn drinkers about the risks by running adverts to show that even drinking slightly more than the recommended average per day (four units for men and three for women) increases the risk of serious health problems.

Drinkers will be encouraged to cut down by having alcohol-free days, not drinking at home before going out, and using smaller glasses to curtail the amount of alcohol they consume.

'It's crucial we support people to know about how drinking too much poses health risks and how they can control their drinking,' says Health Secretary Andrew Lansley.

'It can be easy to slip into the habit of having a few extra drinks each day, especially when drinking at home.'

The campaign follows a survey which found 85 per cent were unaware that drinking over the recommended limits increases the risk of developing breast cancer.

'Alcohol can increase the risk of seven types of cancer, including two of the commonest kinds - breast and bowel cancers,' says Sarah Lyness, of Cancer Research UK.

'A recent study showed that nearly 12,500 cancers in the UK each year are caused by alcohol.'

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