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.