Prevalence of oral potentially malignant disorders: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

Abstract

Oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMD) are chronic conditions, which have a higher risk of transformation to oral squamous cell carcinoma. The aim of this systematic review and meta‐analysis was to answer the question: “What is the prevalence of oral potentially malignant disorders among adults?” Studies reporting the prevalence of these conditions (leukoplakia, erythroplakia, oral submucous fibrosis [OSMF], and actinic cheilitis) were selected, only studies in which a clinical assessment and histopathological confirmation were performed were included. Of the 5513 studies, 22 met the inclusion criteria for qualitative and quantitative analyses. The risk of bias (RoB) of the selected studies was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist for Studies Reporting Prevalence Data. Seven studies were classified as high risk, 12 as moderate risk, and 3 as low RoB. The meta‐analysis showed that the prevalence of OPMD was 4.47% (95% CI = 2.43‐7.08). The most prevalent OPMDs were OSMF (4.96%; 95% CI = 2.28‐8.62) and leukoplakia (4.11%; 95% CI = 1.98‐6.97). OPMDs were identified more commonly in males (59.99%; 95% CI = 41.27‐77.30). Asian and South American/Caribbean populations had the highest prevalence rates of 10.54% (95% CI = 4.60‐18.55) and 3.93% (95% CI = 2.43‐5.77), respectively. The overall prevalence of OPMD worldwide was 4.47%, and males were more frequently affected by these disorders. The prevalence of OPMD differs between populations; therefore, further population‐based studies may contribute to the better understanding of these differences.