A scientometric study on research trends and characteristics of oral submucous fibrosis

Oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) affecting populations is considered a public health issue in South/Southeast Asia. The purpose of this study was to analyze the scientometric characteristics and research trends of OSF.

All the papers on OSF were comprehensively retrieved from the Scopus database. Regional comparison (India versus outside of India) and chronological comparison (before 2015 versus after 2015) were performed.

Among all the 1357 papers on OSF, 930 (68.5%) were from India. In India, biology research on antioxidant, oxidative stress, angiogenesis, and extracellular matrix were distinctive keywords. Risk factors of smokeless tobacco and gutkha and the roles of saliva and blood sampling were also distinctive keywords in India. In outside of India, biology research on myofibroblast, alpha smooth muscle actin, microRNA, long untranslated RNA, and protein p53 were distinctive keywords. The trend of biology research on connective tissue, genotype, genetic predisposition, messenger RNA, and cytology before 2015 has changed to research on myofibroblast, biological marker, microRNA, epithelial mesenchymal transition, extracellular matrix, and oxidative stress after 2015. The trend of clinical aspects of surgery and mouth hygiene before 2015 has changed to the aspects of adverse event/effects, complication, and quality of life after 2015.

This scientometric study elucidated the current scenario and research trends of OSF, and would help in improving in reciprocal collaboration and communication for this disease control in South/Southeast Asia.