Prevalence of Oral Lesions Associated with Chewing Habits in Dakshina Kannada District of Karnataka, India Maharjan Iccha Kumar1,*, Sumanth K N2, Ongole Ravikiran3, Joshi Ujjwal4 1Assistant Professor, Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, B.P.K.I.H.S, Dharan, Nepal 2Professor, Department of Oral Diagnosis, Oral Radiology and Oral Pathology, Faculty of Dentistry, Melaka Manipal College of Dental Sciences, Melaka, Malaysia 3Professor, Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Manipal College of Dental Sciences, Mangalore 4Lecturer, Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, KIST Medical College, Kathmandu, Nepal *Corresponding author: Iccha Kumar Maharjan, Assistant Professor, Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal. Tel - +97725525555-2038. Fax- +97725-5220251, Email: mailingiccha@gmail.com
Online published on 8 October, 2014. Abstract Objective The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of various types of mucosal lesions associated with different forms of arecanut/tobacco chewing habits. Material and Method The study was carried out by examining 640 patients with chewing habit history for one year, in the Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology and at various community oral health camps. A through habit history was taken and clinical examination were done for any oral lesions present. Results The most prevalent chewing habit was gutka followed by betel quid, tobacco and arecanut or combinations of habit. Oral lesions were present in 352 subjects. The prevalence of oral lesion in decreasing order were- oral submucous fibrosis, chewers mucosa, tobacco pouch keratosis, leukoplakia, lichenoid reaction, carcinoma and coated tongue or combination of lesions. Conclusions Our study revealed a high chewing habit related oral mucosal lesions. There is an urgent need for awareness programs for the prevention and early diagnosis of the lesions. Top Keywords Oral Lesion, Chewing Habit, Oral Epidemiology, Oral Submucous Fibrosis. Top |