Abstract
Objectives: Oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF) is a potentially malignant disorder of oral cavity, pharynx and upper digestive tract, characterized by progressive inability to open the mouth. Based on clinical and/or histopathological features, various classifications and grading systems have been put forth till date. The aim of the present study was to study the variance in cheek flexibility in OSMF patients, the observance of which led to the introduction of a new grading for the condition. Material and Methods: The study included 412 patients with OSMF attending to the Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology during the period from December 2008 to June 2013. A detailed history and examination of the patients was performed with special emphasis on measuring cheek flexibility. Statistical analysis was done using Chi-square test and p<0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Results: The most common etiological factor was tobacco (73.3%). All the patients reported with burning sensation of the mouth and blanching of the mucosa. Malignancy was reported in only 4.6% patients. 60.4% patients showed cheek flexibility of 30mm and above, while 29.6% patients showed cheek flexibility between 20-30mm and 10% patients showed less than 30mm of cheek flexibility. Conclusion: The observations of the present study have led to the proposal of a new grading of OSMF based on cheek flexibility which could assist in the categorization of the condition by the clinicians. Key words:Cheek flexibility, oral submucous fibrosis, grading, areca nut.
Highlights
Oral submucous fibrosis [OSMF] is a chronic debilitating disease of the oral cavity characterized by inflammation and progressive fibrosis of the submucosal tissues [1]
OSMF is a precancerous condition of the oral cavity and oropharynx which is predominantly seen in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asian countries and is globally considered an Indian disease
It is considered to have a high degree of malignant potential, which ranges between 2.3% and 7.6% [9]
Summary
Oral submucous fibrosis [OSMF] is a chronic debilitating disease of the oral cavity characterized by inflammation and progressive fibrosis of the submucosal tissues [1]. Pindborg and his associates defined the condition as “an insidious chronic disease affecting any part of the oral cavity and sometimes pharynx. Susrutha in ancient medicine described a condition similar to OSMF as “vidari”, under the umbrella of mouth and throat diseases [3]. In 1952, Schwartz [4] described a condition of the oral mucosa as “atrophia idiopathica mucosa oris”, with the term OSMF coined by Joshi in 1953 [5].
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