Ruminating the Pathway of Oral Leukoplakia- A Review

Abstract

Oral leukoplakia (OL) grabs the place of being one of the most common oral potentially malignant disorders of the oral mucosa. As a result of differences in tobacco and dietary habits the annual percentage of malignant transformation varies in different parts of the world. The tongue and the floor of the mouth can be considered to be high-risk sites with regard to malignant transformation of leukoplakia in some parts of the world, while this does not have to be the case in other parts of the world.Management of this condition remains a variable and includes local, topical, and systemic therapies such as anti-oxidants, carotenoids, and antifungal therapies.Cessation of tobacco consumption habits, as being the most common etiological factor of OL, has shown to be an effective measure with regard to the incidence of oral cancer as well. Hence, in view of many predominantly white or white lesions of the mucosa of oral cavity, it is a great challenge for the oral health care professionals to clinically identify and diagnose a leukoplakia, being a potentially (pre) malignant lesion. In this review, we will be throwing light on the periphery and core of oral leukoplakia.