Etiopathogenesis And Management Of Oral Submucous Fibrosis

Areca quid chewing related oral mucosal lesions are potential hazard to a large population worldwide. Commercially freeze dried products such as pan masala, Guthka and mawa have high concentration of areca nut per chew and appear to cause OSMF more rapidly than by self prepared conventional betel quid that contain smaller amounts of areca nut. These chemical appear to interfere with the molecular processes of deposition and or degradation of extracellular matrix molecules such as collagen, causing imbalance in the normal process. There may be reduced phagocytosis of collagen by fibroblasts, up or down regulation of copper dependent enzyme lysyl oxidase, matrix metalloproteinases and tissue inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinases, increased levels of cytokines in the lamina propria. Current evidence implicates collagen related genes in suspectibility and pathogenesis of OSMF.