PREVALENCE OF HABIT OF TOBACCO AND THEIR EFFECTS: A CLINICAL STUDY

Introduction: Tobacco usage is increasing day by days. It has now become status symbols especially in urban cities. Their ill effects depend upon types of tobacco consumed by persons.Materials and Methods: The study was conducted in Oral Medicine & Radiology department among patients visiting the department. Out of 9800 patients, 7500 patients had habit of tobacco usage in various forms. Results: It was found that the prevalence of habits was 70% in males and 30 % in females. Prevalence of oral mucosal lesions was 8.5% in males and 3.5% in females. Conclusion: The numbers of tobacco users are increasing day by days and hence their harmful effects. So immediate steps should be taken to curb the habit.