An account of areca nut uses and oral health damages from an Indian perspective

Abstract

There is a perception in India that packaged paan masala and betel quid (BQ) with areca nut loosely called paan supari both being devoid of tobacco are not carcinogenic. This article intends to be an awareness initiative against this notion. It focuses on the use of areca nuts in various forms. An understanding is necessary for the identification of components of gutka, various forms of BQ, and paan masala wherein areca nut is used. Areca nut consumption damages oral health and leads to the development of oral submucous fibrosis (OSF). OSF is used as an umbrella term for depicting all potentially malignant lesions. Gutka is a product popular in India that uses areca nuts and a form of flavored tobacco (zarda) as the main component. Although oral tobacco is implicated as a grade I carcinogen, areca nuts and BQ-containing areca nuts belong to the same grade. Areca nuts are the fourth largest addictive substance in the world. Deleterious effects of areca nuts in various forms are a grossly underreported area of research. Initiatives against areca nut uses are required.