Do Sugary Drinks Increase Oral Cancer Risk?

Risk Is Around Five Times as High!

According to new research, women who drink at least one sugar-sweetened beverage daily have a risk of oral cavity cancer, including cancer of the tongue, gums and floor of the mouth , that is approximately five times as high as in women who drink them less than once a month. Among women who do not smoke or smoke only occasionally and who do not drink alcohol or drink very little, the risk of oral cancer was 5.46 times as high in those drinking at least one sugary beverage daily as in those drinking them less than once a month .

This US-based study was led by Luis Gomez-Castillo and published on 13 March 2025 in JAMA Otolaryngology — Head & Neck Surgery .

Study Details

Over the past 30 years, oral cavity cancer cases have increased in people who do not smoke . This increase has been particularly noticeable among White women.

The causes of oral cavity cancer in people who do not smoke are not fully understood. Although human papillomavirus (HPV) is generally associated particularly with cancers of the throat and tonsils, this study found no significant association between HPV and oral cavity cancers arising in nonsmokers. The mechanisms underlying oral cancer in people without established risk factors such as tobacco and alcohol therefore remain unclear.

The researchers analyzed data from the US Nurses' Health Study (1986-2016) and Nurses' Health Study II (1991-2017), including 163 thousand women . The average age of women enrolled in the study was 43 ± 9.9.

After completing the baseline assessment questionnaire, participants were followed until oral cancer diagnosis, death or the end of the study. People with a previous cancer diagnosis, unusual daily calorie intake (<600 or >3500 kcal/day), or missing sugary drink consumption data were excluded.

Age and questionnaire period were used as the time scale, and oral cavity cancer risk was estimated using hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) .

Sugary drink consumption was categorized as:

• <1 sugary drink per month (reference group)
• ≥1 sugary drink per day

Striking Results

During 30 years of follow-up, 124 oral cancer cases were identified.

• Women who consumed at least one sugary drink daily had 4.87 times the risk of oral cancer (HR: 4.87; 95% CI, 2.47-9.60).
• Among women who were nonsmokers or light smokers and nondrinkers or light drinkers, consuming at least one sugary drink daily was associated with 5.46 times the risk of oral cancer (HR: 5.46; 95% CI, 1.75-17.07).
• Tongue cancer risk was 4.53 times as high (HR: 4.53; 95% CI, 1.85-11.11).
• Cancer risk at oral sites other than the tongue was 5.24 times as high (HR: 5.24; 95% CI, 1.84-14.91).

Clinical Significance

The researchers note that although the relative increase in risk is large, the absolute risk is low . The authors stated, "Although the increased risk observed, particularly in nonsmokers or light smokers and nondrinkers, is striking, the absolute risk amounted to only 3 additional cases per 100,000 people. The findings therefore need to be interpreted in their clinical context. Larger studies are needed to better understand the effects of different dietary patterns on OCC risk".

Study Limitations

• The small number of cases limits the precision of the estimates.
• Because the study included only women, its findings cannot be generalized to men.
• Histopathological analyses were limited by age and sample size.
• Most participants were of European ancestry, and similar findings need to be evaluated in other ethnic groups.