Abstract
Tobacco use in various forms, including with Areca nut, causes several potentially malignant disorders. Many lesions may transform into oral squamous cell carcinoma. Although patients may be aware of the hazards of tobacco habits, the lesions by themselves are insidious in nature resulting in failure of patients to present to general dentists/specialists at early stages. Our aim was to study the types of habits prevalent in the region of Rourkela in Orissa and to assess the insidious nature of the lesions associated with these habits. Not many studies have been done from this part of India. A camp was conducted for habitual users of tobacco and its products, Areca nut and other mixed habit users. A thorough history was taken of the type, duration and frequency of habits, symptoms of patients along with clinical examination by a single examiner. The data was entered in detail into an excel sheet and analysed. 54.7% had lesions and 60.9 % of them were asymptomatic and rest had mild burning sensation while eating. There was a very low awareness of the presence of lesions among the patients. There is a need to spread the awareness of the ill effects of the tobacco and other associated habits far and wide and more importantly educate the general public on the appearance of associated lesions as these are almost always insidious in nature. The patients can self-examine, detect lesions early when present and approach the dentist at the earliest opportunity.
Highlights
The hazards of tobacco and its products, areca nut etc. has been discussed at length in the past in various studies nationally (Acharya et al, 2014; Chandroth et al, 2014; Sankeshwari et al, 2015) and internationally (Al-Attas et al, 2014; Al-Maweri et al, 2014)
Many lesions may transform into oral squamous cell carcinoma
Patients may be aware of the hazards of tobacco habits, the lesions by themselves are insidious in nature resulting in failure of patients to present to general dentists/specialists at early stages
Summary
The hazards of tobacco and its products (smoked and smokeless forms), areca nut (in various processed and unprocessed forms) etc. has been discussed at length in the past in various studies nationally (Acharya et al, 2014; Chandroth et al, 2014; Sankeshwari et al, 2015) and internationally (Al-Attas et al, 2014; Al-Maweri et al, 2014). The aim of our study was to have a sneak peek into the types of habits seen in this part of India and their effects on the oral mucosa. Patients may be aware of the hazards of tobacco habits, the lesions by themselves are insidious in nature resulting in failure of patients to present to general dentists/specialists at early stages. Our aim was to study the types of habits prevalent in the region of Rourkela in Orissa and to assess the insidious nature of the lesions associated with these habits. Conclusions: There is a need to spread the awareness of the ill effects of the tobacco and other associated habits far and wide and more importantly educate the general public on the appearance of associated lesions as these are almost always insidious in nature. The patients can self-examine, detect lesions early when present and approach the dentist at the earliest opportunity
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