Prevalence of oral mucosal lesion in peri-urban area of Lucknow city (Uttar Pradesh)

Introduction: . The oral mucosa performs essential protective functions that  affect the general health of the patient. Oral lesions can cause discomfort or pain that interferes with mastication, swallowing, and speech. Aim: The aim of this study is to assess the prevalence of oral mucosal lesions in periurban area in the city of Lucknow aged 15 years and above. Settings and Design: A multistage random sampling was done for identifying the study sample. Materials & Methods: In the first stage. all  peri-urban areas of Lucknow city was grouped into four geographical zones. Second stage consisted of random selection of 20 peri-urban areas by lottery method (5 from each zone).  In third stage there was selection of individuals using simple random method. A total of 45 individuals was selected. Thus a total 900 individuals was selected (i.e. 225 from each zone). Results: The prevalence of oral mucosal lesion in the present study was found to be 11.8%.  The percentage of patients suffering from leukoplakia, oral submucous fibrosis  and lichen planus was 51.9%, 20.8% & 11.3% respectively. Conclusion: This survey high-lighted the rampant misuse of variety of harmful substances as well as the high prevalence of oral lesions in the community.