Justin Rayappa A
AMET University
India
Title: A preliminary study on smokeless tobacco users among 15 - 30 years aged residents of otteri area, north chennai, tamil nadu
Biography
Biography: Justin Rayappa A
Abstract
The practice of placing a small tobacco or chewing tobacco in the oral cavity and leaving it in place for extended period of time appears to be finding its way onto middle school, high school and college campuses as socially acceptable habits. Numerous reports in the literature have, described oral changes that appears to be associated with the use of smokeless tobacco in the adults. Such information is not available in the teenagers/adolescents/ lower age groups residents of SS Puram and SVM Nagar located in the Otteri area of North Chennai, Tamilnadu. A survey (Questionnaire) was used to collect information about students’ smokeless tobacco use, students’ current knowledge and the impact of smokeless tobacco on health. It was observed that smokeless tobacco habit is prevalent in males than female. Most common age to start smokeless tobacco was found as 12 and MAWA, HANS and Gutkha was most commonly used chewing material in Otteri area, consumed for more than five times a day by individuals with habit. Use of smokeless tobacco was appeared to cause a greater variety and severity of habit and tissue changes among the users than individuals without the tobacco habit.