Shamaz Mohamed1, Chandrashekar Janakiram2. 1. Associate Professor, Department of Public Health Dentistry, Amrita University , Edapally, Cochin, Kerala, India . 2. Professor, Department of Public Health Dentistry, Amrita University , Edapally, Cochin, Kerala, India .
Abstract
CONTEXT: Current evidence shows ambiguous relationship between tobacco use and the occurrence of aphthous. OBJECTIVES: We studied the relationship between the occurrence of recurrent aphthous ulcers and various forms of tobacco usage. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A hospital based case control study was carried out in a dental teaching hospital in Cochin, India. One hundred and two outpatient subjects (Males 56.9%) were identified having aphthous ulceration using Natha's diagnostic criteria and were classified as cases. One hundred and eight subjects (Males, 70.4%) with no aphthous ulceration were selected randomly as controls. Exposure ascertainment of tobacco usage was done by structured interview. RESULTS: The adjusted odd ratio was found to be 0.41 (95% CI 0.19-0.87) for tobacco usage and occurrence of aphthous ulceration compared to non tobacco users. The odds ratio of 0.41 for tobacco usage infers that subjects using tobacco were 59% less likely to have aphthous ulcerations compared to nontobacco users. CONCLUSION: The tobacco consumers have less frequency of aphthous ulceration compared non users.
CONTEXT: Current evidence shows ambiguous relationship between tobacco use and the occurrence of aphthous. OBJECTIVES: We studied the relationship between the occurrence of recurrent aphthous ulcers and various forms of tobacco usage. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A hospital based case control study was carried out in a dental teaching hospital in Cochin, India. One hundred and two outpatient subjects (Males 56.9%) were identified having aphthous ulceration using Natha's diagnostic criteria and were classified as cases. One hundred and eight subjects (Males, 70.4%) with no aphthous ulceration were selected randomly as controls. Exposure ascertainment of tobacco usage was done by structured interview. RESULTS: The adjusted odd ratio was found to be 0.41 (95% CI 0.19-0.87) for tobacco usage and occurrence of aphthous ulceration compared to non tobacco users. The odds ratio of 0.41 for tobacco usage infers that subjects using tobacco were 59% less likely to have aphthous ulcerations compared to nontobacco users. CONCLUSION: The tobacco consumers have less frequency of aphthous ulceration compared non users.