Pathogenesis
Chronic exposure to beetel nuts, chilli, pepper and prolonged deficiency of iron and zinc may lead to an alteration in oral mucosa, which causes hypersensitivity to these irritants.
This hypersensitivity reaction may often results in a juxta-epithelial inflammation that leads to increased fibroblastic activity resulting in formation of collagen fibres in lamina propria.
These collagen fibers are non degradable and the phagocytic activity is minimized.
Read more about this topic: Oral Submucous Fibrosis