PREVALENCE OF ORAL MUCOSAL LESIONS IN PATIENTS WITH PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS IN A TERTIARY MEDICAL CENTER

Background: Psychological stress adversely affects the physiological effectiveness of a person to an abundant point of melancholy. Considering the high prevalence of oral health problems in psychiatric patients, the present study was conducted to assess prevalence of oral mucosal lesions in psychiatric patients attending psychiatric outpatient department (OPD) at Nobel Medical College Teaching Hospital. Methods: The descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in Outpatient Department of psychiatry at Nobel Medical College Teaching Hospital in Biratnagar. A total number of 130 patients diagnosed with oral mucosal lesions and stress related conditions were screened. Data for this research was collected by Oral visual examination. Statistical analysis was carried out by using spss software version 21 with use of descriptive statistics like mean and percentage. Results: Majority of the participants were females constituting of 61% of the study group and male subjects with 39 % of the sample size. Major participants were of 38-48 years of range and least from 58 years and above. Schizophrenia was most prevalent psychiatric disorder. Lichen planus was mostly associated with 38% of females, while apthous ulcers were predominant in 40 % of male populations.  Conclusions: Oral mucosal Lesions lessen the quality of life of patients, the role of stress and other psychogenic factors cannot be ruled out. The present study highlights the association of stress and anxiety in development of mucosal lesions in patients with psychiatric disorders.