Association of Clinical Staging of OSMF with Habit of Smokeless Tobacco Consumption - Hospital Based Cross Sectional Study.

Background: Oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF), a premalignant condition of oral cavity is associated with usage of smokeless tobacco. The growing prevalence and cultural acceptance of consumption of flavored arecanut and related products along with traditional smokeless tobacco products are confounding the scenario.

Objectives: To find out clinical staging of OSMF and correlate it with consumption of smokeless tobacco usage related factors among subjects with oral sub mucous fibrosis in Ahmedabad city.

Methods: A cross sectional hospital-based study was conducted on 250 randomly selected clinically diagnosed OSMF subjects. The data regarding various demographic details and habit related factors was recorded in a pre-designed study proforma. The data obtained was statistically analyzed.

Results: Among 250 OSMF subjects, 9% were having grade I, 32% were having grade II, 39% were having grade III and 20% were having grade IV OSMF. 81.6% of males and 18.4% of females were having OSMF. The youngest age when habit was initiated was around of 8 years which is alarming in nature. The lowest duration reported to develop OSMF was 6 months. Statistically significant difference was observed between gender, duration, chewing time, swallowing of tobacco juice and clinical staging of OSMF.

Conclusion: It is alarming that around 70% of the total subjects of OSMF were in the younger age group. The community-oriented outreach programs along with strict policy formulation and implementation should be developed to curb the usage of arecanut and smokeless tobacco derivatives.

Key words: arecanut, smokeless tobacco, OSMF.