It is the humble nut that is the villain of the piece here. Areca nut (or betel nut) is the established cause of a potentially cancerous condition of the mouth – Oral Submucous Fibrosis.
OSF – in very lay terms is progressive stiffening of the cheek, leading to restricted mouth opening and tongue movements and with a high possibility of becoming cancerous. It is primarily caused by chewing areca nut, R. Gunaseelan, trustee, Chennai Dental Research Foundation (CDRF), says.
Every dentist sees a number of cases on a daily basis, he adds. The common presentations are burning sensation in the mouth when eating spicy/hot food, blisters, ulceration, dryness, and a leathery feeling. The more severe cases, involve difficulty in opening the mouth, and moving the tongue, primarily because the cheek loses its elasticity.
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“The problem is that it has enormous cultural sanction in southeast Asia. It is freely available, cheap, and there is no taboo to consuming areca nut,” he adds.
W.M. Tilekeratne, professor of Oral Pathology, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, says a 2010 study showed that in India the average age is 21-30 years. “This should set the alarm bells ringing,” he adds.
A study done by CDRF in Sriperumbudur indicated a 7 per cent prevalence of OSF, coinciding with easy availability of various forms of areca nut. The youngest user was 15 years old. Yet another study in Corporation schools showed that boys in the higher classes were frequently using areca nut, KSGA Nasser, principal, Government Dental College explains.
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Once OSF occurs, the dentist will try various means to treat, most of them with short-term effects. Surgery might provide relief for about 7 years Dr. Nasser adds. “What is worse is that even if you stop the habit, the disease continues once it started. The best way is prevention,” Dr. Gunaseelan adds.