Comparative study of oral micronucleated cell frequency in oral submucous fibrosis patients and healthy individuals

Objectives: To determine the frequency of micronucleated cells and micronuclei in oral submucous fibrosis patients and to compare with healthy individuals. Study design: Twenty patients with oral submucous fibrosis and twenty age-sex-matched healthy individuals as control group participated in this study. Exfoliated cells were obtained by scraping from right and left buccal mucosa and were screened for micronucleated cells and micronuclei. Frequencies were compared between oral submucous fibrosis and control group. Also comparison was made between chewing site and non-chewing site of buccal mucosa. Results: Frequency of micronucleated cells and micronuclei in oral submucous fibrosis patients ranged from 0.6% to 5.3% and 0.50% to 5.74%, where as in control group ranged from 0.5% to 0.9% and 0.22% to 0.88% respectively. Micronucleated cells and micronuclei in oral submucous fibrosis patients were statistically significantly elevated (p < 0.05) as compared to control group. The mean percentage frequencies were higher on chewing site; however there was no statistically significant difference. Conclusion: The present study revealed an increase in micronuclei in oral submucous fibrosis patients compared to healthy individuals. With gutkha chewing habit in younger age, chances of malignant transformation are high relatively. Thus micronuclei test can be used as an early indicator of genotoxicity in oral submucous fibrosis.