Oral changes associated with tobacco and opioids consumption in patients referred to Zahedan Dental School

Background: Smoking leads to several oral complications and it is a predisposing factor for oral cancer. Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the oral changes related to consumption of tobacco & opioids in patients attending the Oral Medicine Center at Zahedan Dental School. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study performed based on simple sampling. A total of 211 tobacco and opioids smoker persons attending the Oral Medicine Department at Zahedan Dental School were examined during February to May 2006. Data were collected using a questionnaire. Statistical tests including the chi-square and variance tests were used for analysis of data. Findings: Of 211 persons, 186 were males and 25 females with a mean age of 38.5±7.6 years. The overall prevalence of oral changes was 98.5% and the prevalence of every single change in oral cavity was 3.3% (leukoedema) 30.8% (pigmentation) 21.7% (leukoedema and pigmentation) 43.3% (leukoedema, pigmentation and hyperkeratosis) 0.9% (leukoedema-pigmentation, and tobacco pouch). The prevalence of oral changes in men was higher than in women (p<0.05). Cigarette smoking in men and hookah in females were common. Conclusion: The most common oral change was pigmentation. Oral changes were more common in men than in women. and the smoking pattern showed difference between men and women. The most frequent material consumed was cigarette in men and hookah in women .