A case-control study on chewing and smoking habits and oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) was undertaken in Karachi in 1989/90. Cases were patients detected with fibrous bands and leathery mucosa and hospital-based controls were matched by age and sex. Information on habits was collected by personal interview of 157 cases and 157 controls. Despite overall female preponderance, a substantial number of young men were enlisted. The male/female risks were found to be similar. Immigrants from India to Pakistan (Mohajir) had a similar risk status to local Punjabis. No differences between risks were found when comparing the three age categories, 21, 21-40, 41-60 yr. Among the cases, an increased risk was observed for areca nut chewing. This habit when practised alone appeared to have the highest risk (RR 154), followed by pan with or without tobacco (RR 64, 32 respectively). Logistic regression and discriminant analysis showed that daily consumption rates appeared to be more important with respect to risk than lifetime duration of habit. Tobacco habits were more prevalent amongst those 15 cases who presented with concurrent carcinoma and OSF: We conclude that areca nut chewing has a causal relationship with OSF: additional tobacco insult may be necessary for subsequent carcinoma development.

There is a clear need to inform and educate the public in matters relating to the known risk factors associated with oral cancer. A media campaign informing the public about oral cancer is clearly required. The need for the reduction in the incidence of oral cancer should be included in 'Our healthier nation' targets. An overall health promotion strategy to reduce cancers should include oral cancer as a priority. In addition the European Code against Cancer which aims to improve prevention, the early detection of oral cancer and the necessity for fast track referral should be made more widely known. Recognition of oral cancer in local strategies for oral health should be encouraged.

The efficacy of 1% toluidine blue in the identification of oral malignancies and potentially malignant oral lesions was evaluated among a group of Asian patients (n = 102) with undiagnosed oral mucosal lesions and conditions (n = 145). The trial, utilising a ready-to-use kit, was controlled by histopathologic evaluation of a total of 87 dye-retained or dye-negative lesions. Eighteen oral carcinomas all retained the dye and there were no false negatives, yielding a test sensitivity of 100%. Eight of 39 oral epithelial dysplasias were toluidine blue-negative, giving a false negative rate of 20.5% and a sensitivity of 79.5% for oral epithelial dysplasias. The specificity of the technique was low (62%). Five dysplastic lesions were detected solely by the kit and this suggests that the method is valuable for surveillance of high-risk subjects in addition to its remarkable sensitivity in the detection of invasive carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the opinions, attitudes and practices towards oral cancer prevention among UK dentists as a baseline from which to measure the need for continuing education efforts in this area. DESIGN AND METHOD: Postal questionnaire survey carried out in August 1991.A questionnaire with 13 test items was piloted at continuing education courses then distributed to all subscribers of the British Dental Journal with a postage paid return envelope. The aspects inquired into were recent attempts by dentists at updating their knowledge on oral cancer, their practical approaches to screening for oral mucosal diseases and follow‐up actions after oral screening, their questions to patients regarding the major risk factors for oral cancer, their efforts towards behavioural counselling for patients and any constraints felt or experienced in this regard. RESULTS: The questionnaire was circulated to 15 836 dentists. The response rate of 16% was poor but due to the many dentists circulated, 2519 responses were available for analysis. This large sample, though presumptively biased towards those interested in professional matters, showed an encouraging 84% claiming to perform screening of the oral mucosa routinely. Among these, 74% reported referral of screen detected cases to a hospital for further attention and only 4% would adopt a wait and see policy. Disturbingly, half of the respondents did not enquire about risk habits related to oral cancer and, among the other half who claimed to make such enquiries, only 30% routinely provided brief health education advice concerning these. Seventy‐one percent agreed that giving advice against tobacco use is desirable but major constraints were identified, notably a lack of training, and frustration regarding patient compliance. There was even greater reluctance on the part of the respondents to enquire into the alcohol use of their patients and to provide advice on alcohol moderation. CONCLUSIONS: Most of this large but unrepresentative sample of UK dentists were carrying out screening of the oral mucosa as a part of their prevention activities in 1991.However, the survey indicated a considerable need for improvement in the manner and extent of provision of health advice in respect of the major risk factors for oral cancer: such a substantial need amongst the presumptively better motivated implies that the need amongst the practitioner population at large is even greater.