Prevalence of Oral Mucosal Lesions in Western Maharashtra: A Prospective Study

Abstract

Aim and Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine the number, types, and locations of oral mucosal lesions in patients who attended our outpatient department. Materials and Methods: The patients were divided into four groups based on age: 17–24 years, 25–34 years, 35–44 years and >44 years old. Clinical oral examination was done with diagnostic instruments using the Color Atlas of Common Oral Diseases as a guide for diagnosis. When clinical features were not diagnostic, a biopsy was undertaken. The lesions were divided into 7 major groups – normal variants, tobacco related, tongue lesions, potentially malignant disorders and oral malignancies, reactive lesions, inflammatory and pigmented lesions. Results: Among 1500 outpatients, of the 587 (39.1%) patients diagnosed with oral mucosal lesions, males were 416 (70.8%) and females 171 (29.1%). The age range of the patients was between 17 and 80 years. The overall prevalence of oral mucosal changes or lesions was 39.1%. The most commonly affected age group was >44 years. Overall, tobacco-related lesions (35.9%) were the most frequently detected conditions, followed by tongue lesions (16.1%), premalignant and malignant lesions (13.9%), inflammatory lesions (12.6%), normal variants (9.5%), reactive lesions (7.6%), and pigmented lesions (4.0%). Conclusion: The results of the present study provide important information about the prevalence of oral mucosal lesions among patients seeking dental care. The study provides baseline data for future studies about the prevalence of oral lesions in the general population.