Patterns of tobacco usage among subjects with potentially malignant oral lesions or conditions in Chennai city: A comparative study.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the patterns of tobacco usage among subjects with potentially malignant oral lesions or conditions through a comparative study design.

METHODS

The study was carried out in a span of 2 months on a sample of 120 subjects; 60 in case group (30 subjects with leukoplakia and oral submucous fibrosis [OSMF], respectively) and 60 subjects in control group (30 current smokers and current chewers, respectively), attending the tobacco cessation clinic at a private dental college hospital in Chennai city. Demographic data, details of tobacco usage, and Fagerstrom nicotine dependence scores (FNTD) were recorded in a prevalidated tobacco cessation intake form.

RESULTS

Cases with leukoplakia had a higher mean FNTD score when compared to the control group (P = 0.0001). The most common form of smokeless tobacco used by case (OSMF) subjects was found to be mawa (53%) significantly higher than the control group (P = 0.05). Mean FNTD scores of mawa users were higher than other tobacco users in both case and control group.

CONCLUSION

The current study has hence put forth the role of mawa form of tobacco in causation of OSMF at a time when implementation of tougher anti-tobacco laws is the talk of the town.