Title: Gutka Facies in Oral Submucous Fibrosis – A Cross Sectional Study in Chennai
Authors: Dr C.Sridhar, MD, Dr C. Krithika MDS, PhD, Dr J.Sreedevi BDS (MDS)
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.18535/jmscr/v5i7.102
Abstract
Introduction:“Gutka facies” is characteristically seen in patients with oral submucous fibrosis, a chronic progressive scarring disease of the oral mucosa which is recognized as a potentially malignant disorder
Aim: To estimate the prevalence of characteristic facial features in patients with oral submucous fibrosis and to correlate the appearance of the facies with the duration and frequency of Gutka usage.
Materials and Methods: A hospital based cross sectional study was carried out among 75 outpatients with clinically diagnosed Oral submucous fibrosis. The patients were divided into different groups based on age, frequency and duration of chewing habit. The facial features of the cheeks, lips, nasolabial folds, malar prominence and massetric hypertrophy were recorded. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS Software version 16.0 Simple descriptive statistics and Pearson chi square test were used to describe the data
Results: Sunken cheeks was the most common extra-oral manifestation of Oral submucous fibrosis seen in 42 cases (56%), followed by prominence of the masseter (28%),exaggerated malar prominence (9.33%) and thinning of the lips (6.67%) Sunken cheeks and thinning of lips showed a statistically significant difference among the different age groups. Massetric hypertrophy and malar prominence showed a statistically significant difference among different groups based on duration and frequency of the chewing habit respectively.
Conclusion: The constellation of facial features referred to as “GutkaFacies” could help in identification of Oral submucous fibrosis by the primary care physicians. Early detection and prompt intervention could help reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with this disease.
Keywords: Gutka Facies, Oral submucous fibrosis, Sunken cheeks.
