Smokeless Tobacco Pouch Keratosis: A Report of Two Cases

Tobacco pouch keratosis (TPK) is a white lesion caused by chronic contact with smokeless tobacco (SLT) on the oral mucosa.The lesion develops as a result of chronic tobacco chewing or snuff dipping.The lesion exhibits precancerous characteristics; thus, dentists must educate patients about the dangers of tobacco use and advise them to quit.This article discusses the clinical findings of a 17-year-old adolescent boy and a 48year-old man who were SLE users diagnosed with TPK and nicotine replacement therapy to averse from the SLT chewing habit due to nicotine dependence.The novelty of this study was that TPK typically manifests clinically as a thick, whitish wrinkled appearance in areas specifically extending along the vestibule or gingiva in contact with SLT and these clinical insights of SLT pouch keratosis underline the importance of early detection and the critical role of dental professionals in managing SLT-related lesions.