- On adverse effects of tobacco consumption
Bhopal: A groundbreaking study led by AIIMS Bhopal’s Dr Anshul Rai and his team was presented before over 2,000 experts from 80 countries. The research focuses on the treatment of Oral Submucous Fibrosis (OSF)—a condition that causes restricted mouth opening. The study was conducted on 105 patients, many of whom had been consuming tobacco and areca nut for over a decade. A concerning observation from the research was that long-term consumption significantly increases the likelihood of developing OSF. Among the patients, eight eventually developed oral cancer. The research included patients ranging from 9 to 70 years of age.
One of the key findings was that the condition was more prevalent among users of pouch products (gutkha/tobacco-mixed substances). Notably, 30% of the affected individuals were women, and even three children under the age of 10 were found to be suffering from this disease. Dr. Rai and his team developed distinct surgical protocols for men, women, and children, enabling precise and effective treatment. As OSF is considered a pre-malignant condition, long-term follow-up for all patients is essential.
The Department of Dentistry at AIIMS Bhopal also developed a new physiotherapy protocol to improve mouth opening. This method was tested on patients and yielded highly positive results. It not only improved jaw movement but also ensured the patients experienced no pain while performing the exercises. Dr. Rai also shared that during the course of treatment, he developed several innovative techniques, for which he has been granted one patent and four copyrights by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
