Correlation between Nutritional Deficiencies (Vitamin A, E, Folate, and Iron) and Severity of Oral Potentially Malignant Disorders

Background: Oral potentially malignant diseases (OPMDs) include a spectrum of abnormalities to the mucosa that might lead to cancer. Tobacco and areca nuts are known to cause OPMDs, but nutritional deficiencies may amplify their effects by affecting epithelial integrity, the immunological response, and oxidative balance, among other things. Aim: To determine the relationship between oral potentially malignant disorder clinical and histopathological severity and deficiencies of Vitamin A, Vitamin E, folate, and iron. Materials and Methods: One hundred and twenty subjects (80 patients with OPMDs and 40 healthy controls) were selected as the subject of a cross-sectional analytical study. The clinical assessment of OPMD and histopathological categorization into mild, moderate, and severe epithelial dysplasia was assessed. Standard Vitamin A, Vitamin E, folate, and iron biochemical procedures were used to estimate the fasting serum levels. Analysis of data was done using the analysis of variance, Chi-square and Pearson correlation to determine the relationship between the level of micronutrients and the level of severity of dysplasia. Results: The average level of all micronutrients in the serum samples of OPMD and controls differed significantly, with P < 0.001 ( P = 0.001). There was progressive reduction in Vitamin A, Vitamin E, folate, and iron levels in the OPMD group with increasing severity of epithelial dysplasia. Close negative relationships were observed between the level of micronutrients and the grade of dysplasia, especially folates ( r = −0.62) and the Vitamin A ( r = −0.57). Conclusion: Vitamin A, Vitamin E, folate, and iron deficiency have a strong connection with the severity of OPMDs. Nutritional health status seems to have a significant modulatory factor in the occurrence of oral carcinoma, and it is important to measure and rectify the deficiency of micronutrients in patients of OPMDs.