Diagnostic aids of Potentially Malignant lesions of Oral Cavity

Cancer is one of the most debilitating diseases seen in almost three fourth of the world¿s population. Malignancy is the tendency of a medical condition to become progressively worse. The oral cavity is the only region of the aerodigestive tract that can be effectively screened for various diseases. Oral cancer is any cancerous tissue growth located in the oral cavity which may arise as a primary lesion originating in any of the tissues in the mouth, by metastasis from a distant site of origin, or by an extension from a neighbouring anatomic structures such as nasal cavity. Early evaluation of oral precancerous lesions has a dramatic impact on oral cancer mortality rates. Dental health care workers, who are the best trained health care professionals in this field, have a duty to detect these potentially malignant oral lesions. Prompt diagnosis and early referral to an appropriate specialist allows for the best management and good prognosis of these lesions.