Antihypertensives in oral submucous fibrosis

Oral submucous fibrosis is a common pre-malignant condition affecting the oral mucosa with more prevalence among Indian population. Various treatment modalities have been elucidated in order to alleviate the symptoms associated with OSMF. Currently oral Anti-hypertensive has been proved to have beneficial result in treating OSMF because of its anti-inflammatory, fibrinolytic, immunomodulatory and rheologic modifying property. Several categories of drugs have been used in the treatment of OSMF but their effectiveness leaves much to be desired and no treatment regimen has afforded definitive cure. While Oral administration limits the concentration of drugs in lesional tissue and increases the potential for side effects, the Intralesional injections are associated with significant mechanical injury and noncompliance on the patient’s part because of the accompanying discomfort and pain. The present study was done to evaluate the effectiveness of oral antihypertensives in the management of OSMF.  Very few studies across world have showed that anti-hypertensive drugs showed significant improvement in mouth opening, reduction in burning sensation. Hence anti-hypertensive can be a good alternative in the management of OSMF for whom intralesional steroids or hyaluronidase are contraindicated, for those who cannot make frequent visit and to avoid pain due to injection.