CLINICOPATHOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF THE ORAL MUCOSAL LESIONS IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL OF CHITWAN, NEPAL

Background: Oral mucosal lesions represent a wide range of anomalies and pathologies that could be attributed to different aetiologies. Awareness about them can help in prevention whereas early detection and prompt treatment minimize impairment and ameliorate symptoms. The objective of the present study was to estimate the prevalence of OML in patients, visiting the dental outpatient department of a tertiary care hospital in Chitwan, Nepal. Methods: The present retrospective cross-sectional study was carried out in the department of Oral Pathology of a tertiary care hospital in Chitwan, Nepal from December 2017 to December 2022. The attributes of the study included the details like age and gender, site, and the histopathological diagnosis of the biopsy specimen. The data extracted were tabulated in excel sheets and were analyzed by the statistical package of social sciences (SPSS) software, version 20. Results: In total 138 cases of OML were included in the present study. The study population consisted of 45.65% males and 54.34%. Oral epithelial dysplasia (OED) was the most prevalent oral potentially malignant disorder (OPMD), followed by oral lichen planus (OLP). Pyogenic granuloma was the most prevalent non-neoplastic lesion recorded in the study population, followed by mucocele. Conclusions: The present study was conducted in a single institution and the results represent the prevalence rate of OML among the patients visiting the same institution. This, therefore, provide insight into the frequently occurring OML, which will help clinicians to develop treatment strategies, and the public health dentists identify the risk factors and ways to prevent them.