Oral Submucous Fibrosis- A review

Abstract

Oral Submucous fibrosis (OSMF) has traditionally been described as “a chronic, insidious, scarring disease of the oral cavity, often with the involvement of the pharynx and the upper esophagus”. Millions of people are impacted, particularly in countries in South and South East Asia. Chewing areca nuts is the biggest risk factor. Its significant morbidity and high rate of malignant transformation have prompted ongoing efforts to create an efficient management system. In spite of this, prognosis has not significantly improved in decades. This update of the literature offers a critique of managerial flaws as well as diagnostic and treatment problems common in developing nations. In order to prevent these problems and to lessen these shortcomings, an inter-professional model is suggested.