Effects of Pan / Supari (betel nut) chewing on Teeth and Mouth
Supari – are you chewing more than you can bite?
The word supari, sacred when uttered in a Hindu puja, scary when heard in a don’s lair is a hindi term for areca nut or betel nut. A popular entity in Indian traditions and customs, it is used as a religious offering, or as a payment to priests and others, or as a sign of respect or regard for visitors to home. It is also used in contractual negotiations during betrothal ceremonies, when a nut is exchanged to formalize the relationship. This could probably be the origin of the word’s use in the underworld for a contract killing.
More important from the point of view of human health and well-being is the habit of chewing areca nut.
Betel nut is used as a recreational drug due to its stimulant activity. As on today, it is said to be the fourth most commonly used psychoactive substance in the world after caffeine,tobacco, and alcohol.
Areca nut is chewed alone or more often thin slices of the nut, may be mixed with a variety of substances, including betel leaf (pan) and tobacco. Lime is added to the betel mixture as a paste of slaked lime, which results in the production of bright red stains characteristic of betel chewing. Stimulants such as catechu (kattha), flavoring agents such as cinnamon, cloves, sandalwood, cardamom, mint, coconut, ginger and sugar may also be added.
Gutka is a generic name for pan masala which contains areca nut often combined with tobacco and other substances. It was introduced three decades ago in aluminium foil sachets.
The betel quid or pan with all it’s ingredients has both stimulant and tranquilizing pharmacological effects. It’s action produces a multitude of subtle effects, such as increasing body temperature and pulse rate, improving concentration, heightening alertness,staving off hunger, or lifting one’s mood with a sensation of well-being.
The popularity of the nut is also due to it’s believed medicinal value. It is used as a stimulant as it causes euphoria, as a saliva stimulant, as an aid in digestion, and as a carminative.
Although this practice is unlikely to have long term ill effects with time, some individuals may develop a dependency syndrome.
While it is commonly used as breath sweetener, the wrong belief that betel chewing protects against dental disease maybe firmly entrenched among users.
The abrasive nature of the nut, the increased alkalinity and sugars can result in severe dental problems.
It is very common for teenagers and young adults, nowadays to chew Gutka, and earlier the habit starts in life, greater the risk of developing oral cancer later.
Following are a few indications of impending danger, if you have the habit of chewing pan, supari or gutka:
Rush to your dentist immediately if you are habitual chewer and have noticed any of these changes in your mouth recently, and seek advice for preventing further complications.
Seek Tobacco cessation, if you are a Gutka chewer.
- Tooth wear i.e., grinding or rubbing away of teeth, and as hard covering (enamel) is lost, it leads to sensitivity to sweets, heat and cold.
- Tooth fractures
- Stains - commonly referred as Gutka / Pan / tobacco stains
- Bleeding gums and loose teeth as supporting tissues are affected.
Of more grave concern are the effects on tongue and cheeks inside the mouth.
Areca nut chewing may result in conditions called oral Leukoplakia and Submucous fibrosis, both of which can potentially cause cancer in the mouth (oral cancer).
While initially, only addition of tobacco to pan was considered harmful, there is new information linking oral cancer to pan chewing without tobacco, suggesting a stronger cancer risk associated with this habit.
According to International agency for research on cancer, there is sufficient evidence that the use of tobacco with lime, betel quid (pan) with tobacco, betel quid (pan) without tobacco and areca nut (supari) can cause cancer.
It does not imply that occasional chewing of pan or supari, once in a while is harmful.
It is the habit of chewing pan, gutka, supari, with or without tobacco, regularly and retaining it in the mouth for long time, which is harmful. The greater the frequency and years of use, greater the risk.
Following are a few indications of impending danger, if you have the habit of chewing pan, supari or gutka:
- Burning sensation in mouth on taking warm or slightly spicy food.
- Difficulty in opening the mouth
- Presence of an irregular whitish grey discoloration that cannot be rubbed off.
- Wrinkled appearance, thickening and tough leathery texture, presence of ulceration on tongue and other areas in the mouth.
- A tendency for the tissues in mouth to peel off.
- Loose and detached white tags of tissue can be seen and felt.
Rush to your dentist immediately if you are habitual chewer and have noticed any of these changes in your mouth recently, and seek advice for preventing further complications.
Seek Tobacco cessation, if you are a Gutka chewer.
A handful of prevention may give you a mouthful of health.
Stop chewing areca nut / supari… or you may never be able to bite!!
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