Prevalence of Tobacco Use and Oral Mucosal Lesions among Nicobarese Tribal Population in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

AIM: To determine the prevalence of tobacco use and oral mucosal lesions among Nicobarese tribal populations in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cross-sectional survey and oral examination were done in 400 Nicobari populations in Car Nicobar using the World Health Organization (WHO) format of Oral Health Questionnaire and Assessment forms. The data were then entered and statistical analysis was done using SPSS Inc.; Chicago, Illinois, USA, Version 20.0.

RESULTS: There is high prevalence of tobacco consumption (88.25%), especially the smokeless form of tobacco. Oral mucosal lesions were present in 25.75% of the total population, and keratosis was the most prevalent among oral mucosal lesions which was 56.3%.

CONCLUSION: There is a statistical significance in the presence of oral mucosal lesions who consumes smokeless form of tobacco every day. There is no significance observed between male and female Nicobari tribes.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: This high consumption of smokeless form of tobacco puts both genders in Nicobari tribal population equally at risk of developing precancerous and cancerous lesions. Early intervention and oral health education should be done frequently to prevent the development of oral cancer at early stages in tribal population.