A Cytomorphometric Analysis of Oral Mucosal Changes in Tobacco Users

Aim: To investigate the effect of tobacco smoking and chewing on the buccal mucosa using cytomorphometry.

Materials and Methodology: Oral mucosal cells were collected from 45 subjects divided into three groups: smokers, chewers, and nonsmokers.The cells were stained with Papanicolaou stain and examined under a high magnification microscope.

Image J analysis software was used to perform cytomorphometric analyses on the cells in the captured image to determine the Cellular Diameter, Nuclear Diameter, and Nuclear Cytoplasmic Ratio. The statistical test used was ANOVA and p<0.05 was considered significant.

Results: From controls to smokers and chewers, cellular diameter decreases while nuclear diameter and nuclear cytoplasmic ratio increase.

Conclusion: The findings indicated that chewing tobacco changed the cytomorphology of normal buccal mucosa, and that the degree of change was greater in chewers than in smokers.Oral smears can be analysed cytomorphometrically on a regular basis to detect changes in cellular and nuclear dimensions, particularly among tobacco users.