PREVALENCE OF ORAL SUBMUCOUS FIBROSIS AND PERIODONTAL HEALTH STATUS IN PATIENTS CHEWING GUTKA FROM BIHAR REGION

Abstract

Smokeless tobacco (ST) chewing warranties special attention in India because of its popularity and widespread social acceptance. The major factors that persist to encourage people to use smokeless form of tobacco are its low price, ease of purchase, and the widely held misconception of purported medicinal value in curing toothache, headache, and in decreasing hunger. Furthermore, in contrast to smoking, there is no taboo against using ST. The lifestyle, socioeconomic status, and the standards of living of industrial workers are different from the rest of the population. Poverty, language barriers, and poor education contribute different lifestyle that encourages addictive tobacco habits. As there is a ban on smoking tobacco in most of the industrial premises, workers tend to consume more of ST products. Therefore, they form a special group who could be at a higher risk of periodontal breakdown. Hence the present study was planned for study of Prevalence of Oral Submucous Fibrosis and Periodontal Health Status in patients chewing Gutka from Bihar Region.
 The present study was planned in Department of Dentistry, Anugrah Narayan Magadh Medical College and Hospital, Gaya, Bihar. Total 30 patients were enrolled in the present study. The patients were divided in three groups. The Group A included patients with a healthy periodontium. The Group B included patients with chronic periodontitis without OSMF, and Group C included patients with chronic periodontitis and OSMF.
 The data generated from the present study concludes that that chewing gutka leads to periodontal destruction in patients with OSMF. The cases illustrate the significant morbidity and mortality associated with OSF and emphasize the importance of close follow-up of such cases. Because of the significant cancer risk among these patients, periodic biopsies of suspicious regions of the oral mucosa are essential for the early detection and management of high-risk oral premalignant lesions and prevention of cancer.
 Keywords: oral submucous fibrosis, periodontal destruction, gutka, Bihar region, etc.