Association between Time of Presentation and Size of Reactive Oral Lesions with Socio-economic Status

Background: Reactive proliferations are fibrous tissue with another histologic component such as multinucleated giant cells, calcified materials, or small vessels hyperplasia. Lesions can vary from a few millimeters to several centimeters. Socio-economic status has been reported to be associated with oral health behavior.

Aims: To assess the relationship between time, size at presentation, desire for treatment with socio-economic status of patients with oral connective tissue reactive lesions.

Materials and Methods: All patients that were reviewed for clinical diagnosis of oral connective tissue reactive lesion for a period of 2012 to 2018 in the department of oral and maxillofacial surgery, central hospital Benin. Data included the site, time of presentation, size, type of lesion and socio-economic status of patients. Analysis was done using descriptive statistical method and ANOVA test.

Results: 112 cases with mean age 32 years, male: female ratio 2:3 met the study criteria. The mandible and the maxilla were affected in equal proportion. 66% of all patients had excision of lesion, while 60% of those that had excision further had histopathology. 40% did not have histopathology of excised lesions done due to financial constraints. Fibrous epithelial hyperplasia and ossifying fibroma were the most common. Lesions of greater than 5cm in diameter were found in lower socioeconomic group and presentation was late in those patients.

Conclusion: Reactive lesions are more common in females. The present study demonstrated an association between time of presentation, size at presentation, desire for treatment with socio-economic status.