Carbonated Drinks May Alleviate Oral Submucosal Fibrosis：Retrospective Analysis of outpatients in A Tropical Reefs Hospital

Objectives: The special geographical conditions of the tropical island or reefs restrict the oral health services of the stationed population. It is deserved attention whether there are specific oral health problems in the long-term stationed population. Methods: Data of 2 mouth outpatients of the dental department in a South-China-Sea reef hospital, 55 male, 26.35±3.98 y, were collected. The oral disease distribution and relationship with habits of the smoking, betel nut chewing, and carbonated drinking were analyzed. Results: The top three oral problems were dental calculus (67.27%), abnormal eruption of wisdom teeth (47.27%) and periodontitis (36.36%). dental calculus was correlated with periodontitis (r = 0.465, P = 0.000), beverage drinking habit (r = 0.277, P = 0.041), and betel nut chewing habit (r = -0.276, P = 0.041). 7 cases (12.7%) of Oral Submucosal Fibrosis (OSF) were diagnosed. Those who smoked more than 10 years and chewed betel nut every day for many years were more likely to develop OSF (P = 0.000). Those had carbonated beverage drinking habit had lower incidence of OSF (P = 0.002), even they chewing betel nuts or smoking. Conclusions: The residents in tropical islands and reefs are needed to pay more attention on the oral health conditions. Carbonated drinks may neutralize and alleviate the damage of betel nut alkaloids or nicotine to oral mucosa by inhibiting inflammation. Clinical Relevance For the first time, it was observed that carbonated drinks might prevent the occurrence of OSF in betel-nut chewing and smokers, although its certainty and potential mechanism need to be clarified and explored.