Case Report: Tribal Habits and Rural Anaesthetist

Abstract

The habit of chewing betel nut is very common in North eastern part of India especially among the tribal population. Several additives have been added to a betel nut (like lime and betel leaf) making the betel quid. Deleterious effects of chewing betel nut on oral soft tissues are published many times in dental and otolaryngology literatures. Arecainduced lichenoid lesions mainly on buccal mucosa or tongue are reported at quid retaining sites. In chronic chewers, a condition known as betel chewers mucosa, a discoloured area with encrusted change, is often found where the quid particles are retained. These areas result in oral leukoplakia and submucous fibrosis. 4 Apart from chewing betel nut, tobacco chewing (smokeless tobacco) is very common among the same population. Robert O Green Jr DDS et al described 4 distinct lesions associated with smokeless tobaccoerythroplakic lesions of oral mucosa, gingival or periodontal inflammation, combination of oral and periodontal inflammation and cervical erosion of teeth. 1