March 1 (iVillage Total Health) -- With spring and the start of popular outdoor sports events just a few weeks away, dentists are reminding parents and teenagers of the dangers of smokeless tobacco.

Members of the Ohio Dental Association (ODA) said teens may use chewing tobacco , snuff or dip at baseball, soccer or other sporting events and they should know about the potential dangers of throat and mouth cancers.

"With the arrival of spring sports, the ODA encourages school districts to fully enforce a no-tolerance policy for use of smokeless tobacco that is as stringent as it is for cigarettes, drugs and other banned substances," Dr. H. Sam Fick, ODA president, said in a press release.

According to the American Cancer Society, 14 percent of American high school males and 2 percent of females used chewing tobacco, snuff or dip in 2005. A 1986 U.S. Surgeon General's report concluded that such smokeless tobacco products are not safe substitutes for cigarettes and cigars and increase the risk of oral cancers .

"Smokeless tobacco is not a safe alternative to smoking cigarettes, and should not be considered a method of cessation," Fink added.

The dental association sponsors programs urging teens to avoid chewing tobacco because of the risk of receding gums , tooth decay, mouth sores, bleeding gums and bad breath. In addition, smokeless tobacco products may also increase the risk of leukoplakia , a condition in which white patches appear on the tongue and may be early signs of oral cancer.

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