Abstract

Oral Submucous fibrosis (OSMF) is a well known debilitating precancerous condition of oral cavity which results due to chewing tobacco, areca nuts and its related products. It is an irreversible condition with very high malignant potential. There is a dire need to curb this common but avoidable condition that is increasingly observed in the younger age groups which leads to early development of oral cancer. The purpose of this article is to comprehend OSMF in totality and help the health professionals to get acquainted with the possible etiology, clinical features, differential diagnosis and current treatment modalities of OSMF along with the planning of promotive and preventive research to elucidate the solutions to the problem.

Key words: Submucous Fibrosis; Precancerous; Tobacco; Areca Nut; Oral Cancer