Oral mucosal lesions and their association with tobacco use and qat chewing among Yemeni dental patients

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the prevalence of oral mucosal lesions (OMLs) in patients attending outpatient dental clinics in Sana`a university, Yemen, and to evaluate the association of such lesions with age, gender, and oral habits. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study included 409 subjects (272 males, 137 females, age: 15-86 years). Detailed clinical examination was performed in accordance with international criteria. Patient history included age, gender, education, denture wearing and risk habits (tobacco use and qat chewing). Data were analyzed using SPSS 19.00. Results: The prevalence of OMLs was 58.4% with a significant difference between men (63.6%) and women (48.2%; P < 0.05). The most common lesions were fissured tongue (37.2%), hairy tongue (15.9%), tumors and tumor-like lesions (9.8%), qat-induced white lesions (9.3%) and racial pigmentation (5.9%). Overall OMLs prevalence was linked to risk habits and age; qat chewing was statistically significant risk factor for having fissured tongue (OR: 1.77), hairy tongue (OR: 2.74), and white lesions (OR: 2.39) (P < 0.05). Cigarette smoking was statistically significant risk factor for having hairy tongue (OR: 2.82), white lesions (OR: 3.60) and tumors and tumor-like lesions (OR: 2.91) (P < 0.01). The increase in age was statistically significant risk factor for having tumors and tumor-like lesions (OR: 1.04; P < 0.001). Conclusions: The current results indicate that the occurrence of OMLs among Yemeni adults is high and emphasize that risk habits and age have some relationship with the presence of OMLs. Key words:Oral mucosa, oral lesions, prevalence, smoking, qat chewing.