Oral Potentially Malignant Disorders and Systemic Health

In medicine and dentistry, there has been increasing interest in the relationship between oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs) and systemic diseases. While the risk of oral cancer is the main concern with OPMDs, recent studies have revealed possible connections between these disorders and various systemic conditions.

Associations of OPMDs with may be specific to a systemic disease or a class of disease. For instance, a higher prevalence of specific autoimmune disorders has been observed in people with oral lichen planus (OLP), a common OPMD characterized by white, lace-like lesions in the oral cavity. Diabetes, thyroid disease, and hepatitis C infection have all been found to be more prevalent in OLP patients. Immune dysregulation and genetic factors are thought to be involved, though the precise mechanisms underlying these associations are still not fully understood.

Additionally, oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF), another OPMD that is common across the globe, has been connected to a higher risk of systemic diseases. OSMF is characterized by oral mucosal fibrosis that worsens over time, limiting mouth opening and making eating and speaking challenging. Studies have indicated that people with OSMF are more likely to develop cardiovascular conditions, including hypertension and ischemic heart disease. These systemic conditions might be brought on by persistent inflammation, oxidative stress, and impaired microcirculation linked to OSMF.

Systemic diseases and OPMDs are linked by intricate and multifactorial mechanisms. It is as yet unclear whether OPMDs cause or result from systemic disease or whether observed correlations are simply driven by shared risk factors (i.e., confounding). For instance, diabetes can impede the body's immune response and wound healing, potentially increasing the risk of developing OPMDs and postponing their resolution. Other causes of immunosuppression, such as HIV infection or organ transplantation, may pose a similar risk or OPMDs. In the reverse causal direction, OPMD-induced inflammatory mediators and cytokines can cause systemic inflammation that could cause or exacerbate systemic conditions. Yet, chronic inflammation itself may be a shared predisposing condition for OPMDs and systemic diseases. Other potential confounders include lifestyle factors, such as alcohol and tobacco use, which are known to raise the risk of both OPMDs and systemic diseases.

For this Research Topic, priority will be given to article submissions providing rigorous evidence that can help tease out the specificity and directionality of relationships between systemic diseases and OPMD. We welcome articles describing research aimed at clarifying mechanisms of these relationships or at developing prevention, early detection, or treatment strategies.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Classification
• Clinical Trial
• Community Case Study
• Curriculum, Instruction, and Pedagogy
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Classification
• Clinical Trial
• Community Case Study
• Curriculum, Instruction, and Pedagogy
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Policy Brief
• Review
• Study Protocol
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: oral potentially malignant disorders, OPMD, systemic health, systemic disease, early detection, oral submucous fibrosis, OSMF, oral lichen planus, diabetes, thyroid disease, hepatitis C, immune dysregulation, genetics, cardiovascular

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.