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Sir, we read the letter Oral health: The destructive effects of khat by Dr Marway.1
Dr Marway has observed destructive effects of khat on oral health in habitual khat chewers but it can be attributed to consumption of high sugar drinks and sugar tablets to counteract the bitter taste. It was observed by W. Luqman and T. S. Danowski that dental cavities are rare in Yemen when khat chewing people are not consuming sugar sweetened beverages.2 There is a correlation between habitual khat chewing and oral cancer.3 Oesophageal and gastric carcinoma have been observed in khat chewers in both men and women in Yemen.4 There is evidence connecting khat chewing to genetic damage of the oral mucosa and cancer.5
References
Marway R . Oral health: The destructive effects of khat. Br Dent J 2016; 221: 2.
Luqman W, Danowski T S . The Use of Khat (Catha edulis) in Yemen: Social and Medical Observations. Ann Intern Med 1976; 85: 246–249.
Soufi H E, Kameswaran M, Malatani T . Khat and oral cancer. J Laryngol Otol 1991; 105: 643–645.
Gunaid A A, Sumairi A A, Shidrawi R G et al. Oesophageal and gastric carcinoma in the Republic of Yemen. Br J Cancer 1995; 71: 409–410.
Kassie F, Darroudi F, Kundi M, Schulte-Hermann R, Knasmüller S . Khat (Catha edulis) consumption causes genotoxic effects in humans. Int J Cancer 2001; 92: 329–332.
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Math, M., Kattimani, Y. Khat and cancer. Br Dent J 221, 212 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bdj.2016.620
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bdj.2016.620
