Prevalence of Oral Mucosal Lesions in Adult Population From Eight Communities From Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

Objectives: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the prevalence of oral mucosal lesions in adult population from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
Methods: 751 subjects from eight rural communities from Santo Domingo attended the invitation to participate in oral screening from October 2016 to January 2017. 248 were examined, age ranging 18-86, 44.5% males, 55.5% females. A designed questionnaire to record demography factors, age group, gender, anatomical location, presence or absence of oral mucosal lesions, risk factors such as tobacco consumption, frequency, different forms of tobacco and alcohol. Other factors as prosthesis wearing were recorded. A systematic oral clinical examination was conducted by a specialist.
Results: According to geographical location, the community where subjects presented more oral lesions was “Guandules” (100%). 228 subjects exhibited 1 or more lesions (91.9%), the median was 3 lesions per patient. In relation to habits, tobacco consumption represented 24.5%, being cigarettes smoking 22.9%, followed by others forms as “Hooka” 3.0%, Marihuana (2.6%), 1.6% cigars, 0.4% pipe.The time of exposure to Tobacco was 21.5 years (SD±15.8), whereas 64.8 % showed Alcohol exposure, with the highest frequency represented by beer 17.74% weekly. When habits and overall lesions were correlated, there were not statistical differences. According to the oral screened lesions, the non pathological group was prevalent, and included physiologic melanin pigmentation as the most frequent (42.7%), followed by mandibular tori (37.1%), Fordyce Granules represented 15.3%, Exostosis 9.7%.The Inflammatory group included Chronic Gingivitis (27.4%).Reactive lesions associated to dentures include Denture Stomatitis (6.9%). Nicotine Stomatitis (6.0%) as white-plaque. Regarding anatomical location:Mandibular Gingiva represented 71.4%.
Conclusions: To the best of our knowledge, there are not published data on the epidemiological evaluation of oral mucosal lesions in adults from Dominican Republic. This is the first screening–based research program that will contribute to the understanding of the prevalence on oral mucosal lesions.