Oral White Lesions: Presentation and Comparison of Oral Submucous Fibrosis with Other Lesions

Objective: To compare oral submucous fibrosis with other white oral lesions for presentation and associated factors. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: The Departments of Oral Medicine and Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Dr. Ishrat-ul-Ibad Institute of Oral Health Sciences (DIKIOHS), Karachi, from May 2008 to May 2009. Methodology: Patients presenting with oral white lesions were selected by consecutive non-purposive sampling and clinico-demographic data was collected. For patients with oral submucous fibrosis (OSF), additional information like duration of habits, maximal incisal opening (MIO), presence of any other associated lesion were noted. OSF was compared with other white lesions for any association between characteristic of subjects. Chi-square and independent t-tests for determining the statistical significance at p<0.05. Results: OSF was present in 59.6% (n=106) of the 178 patients; other white lesions were 40.4% (n=72). The mean age of patients with OSF was 34 +/- 12.7 years and 45.81 +/- 16.2 years in patients with other white lesions, (p<0.0001). Items containing areca nut were consumed more by patients with OSF, with a significant (p<0.0001) compared to patients with other white lesions. Conclusion: OSF was the predominant white lesion in patients examined at DIKIOHS. Areca nut was found to be chewed more by patients with OSF and still longer by patients with SCC.