Betel nut side effects, uses, facts and myths

It is very easy to spot a regular betel nut chewer by looking at the reddish discolouration of their teeth, lips, mucosa and gums. Often, with time, these worsen and get inscribed within your tooth structure forming intrinsic stains, which are more difficult to get rid of. Before this habit takes a toll on your health and appearance, it is recommended to stop.

Attrition refers to the gradual wearing off of tooth structure whereas abrasion refers to loss of hard structure of the tooth. While these may be a natural consequence of ageing, the excessive use of betel nut worsens this concern and aggravates the rate.

Why you must be worried about attrition and abrasion is because your tooth will gradually start wearing off, which will increase problems of sensitivity. You have to agree sensitivity to any kinds of food is a complete wrath.

Other than this, obviously your aesthetics will be affected and gradually may be that the loss of structure is so severe that you are hardly left with any tooth to help with chewing.

Peridontitis refers to the inflammation and infection of the gum and surrounding structures. Over time, it causes loss of supporting bone.

It has been recognised that the habit of betel nut chewing significantly contributes to periodontitis. This is more severe among individuals who place betel nut or supari between the teeth and the mucosa causing a pocket to form in the area. This pocket contains infectious agents, which worsen the problem and cause other infections in the area.

Peridontitis will not only cause your mouth to have an offensive odour (if that was not already an embarrassing problem) but also cause loss of tooth over the course of the time. As periodontitis progresses in the area where you usually keep the quid, you will find it immensely hard to eat because the tooth will be mobile.

Further, malodour or oral halitosis has been recognised to pose a psychological problem and also leads to lack of self-esteem among those affected. So, it is best to stay away from any habits that can cause this.

Oral submucous fibrosis or OSMF is characterised by an inability or a difficulty in opening the mouth due to excessive growth of fibrous tissue. The palpable bands formed around the mouth may or may not be painful but will definitely stop you from opening it. Imagine the discomfort!

It has been well-established that betel nut chewing is the primary cause of this condition with maximum cases reported among chewers. So, all you have to do to minimise your risk is stop with this habit.

OSMF is a precancerous lesion, that is, it has the potential to convert to a malignant tumour. So, if you experience mild to moderate discomfort in opening your mouth or your mouth opening is gradually diminishing, it is high time to say goodbye to the habit of betel nut chewing and visit a dentist.

Any type of cancerous lesion in the oral cavity is termed as oral cancer. It may form anywhere within the mouth including your gums, tongue or the mucosa.

It is unsurprising that betel nut chewing causes oral cancer. Often, this is preceded by a precancerous lesion in the form of OSMF. It has been determined that precancerous lesions have a higher risk of progressing to cancer with the use of betel nut.

Additionally, betel nut is an independent risk factor for oral cancer and has been listed as a Group 1 carcinogen by International Agency of Cancer Research (IACR). When combined with lime, which is commonly added to betel nut, this risk is aggravated.

If you happen to indulge in other deleterious habits like smoking or the use of smokeless tobacco, the risk is most likely to be added up.

Dependence and addiction are one of the major concerns of betel nut chewing with daily users experiencing a feeling of euphoria associated with its use. These users have also reported a feeling of well-being, warmth and an improved work performance with this habit. After all, it’s termed as a habit for a reason. 

These experiences are prevalent due to its effects on the brain owing to which stopping this habit becomes painful.

When trying to discontinue, typical withdrawal symptoms in the form of a headache, sweating and palpitations have been reported by the users. Regular paan consumers complained of an immense difficulty in abstinence and resorting to a morning paan to ease these symptoms.

Studies have found that betel nut dependence increases the predisposition to seizures, which may be unresponsive to drugs.

In sufficiently higher doses, areca nut has been found to cause neuronal injury leading to cell death. This can be ascertained to an increased oxidative stress and reduced antioxidant action in the body. So, while users enjoy this habit, they are slowly progressing towards a bigger harm.

Studies have found that betel nut chewing increases heart rate and systolic blood pressure even among non-habitual users. Since this effect is irrespective of the frequency of use, it is best to stay away from consuming areca nut even occasionally.

However, an increased frequency of intake has been evidenced to increase the risk of coronary heart disease.

This occurs because areca nut has a blocking effect on high-density lipoprotein, which is considered to be a good cholesterol and is protective of the heart. Further, it increases the availability of low-density lipoprotein, which is infamous as a bad cholesterol and is conducive to the growth of atherosclerotic plaque.

While areca nut chewing predisposes you to coronary heart disease, it is also a risk factor for cardiac arrhythmia. So, it is better to stay away from its use especially if you already have a high cholesterol.

Betel nut has an effect on male sexual hormones and androgens. Excessive use of betel nut causes an increased expression of androgens, which can cause hyperplasia (an increase in the number of cells) and hypertrophy (an increase in size). This leads to an enlargement of the prostate gland, which is otherwise a common condition in old age.

Not just this, areca nut consumption may also affect your fertility.

Studies prove that areca nut significantly contributes to a decreased sperm motility and count, which causes sperm abnormalities. It has been ascertained that a long-term use can lead to infertility in men.

Consumption of areca nut is highly unsafe during pregnancy with studies reporting of ill-effects on infants. Mothers who consume areca nut have a high risk of preterm delivery.

Further, low birth weight and foetal defects are what your baby holds the risk of if you do not stop with this habit. There is also an association between maternal betel nut consumption and an increased risk of malignancy in the baby, which gives reason enough to discontinue.

• Loss of appetite is commonly noted among areca nut users.
• Some studies suggest that areca nut consumption increases the risk of oesophagal and pharyngeal cancers and even laryngeal and lung cancer.
• Hepatocellular carcinoma and cirrhosis of the liver are commonly noted in areca nut chewers.
• Excessive use of areca nut can cause bronchoconstriction leading to respiratory problems.
• The use of areca nut is also associated with a risk of diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol.
• Severly high doses of areca nut can cause toxic symptoms leading to dyspnea, tachycardia (rapid heart rate), tachypnea (rapid breathing), hypotension, nausea, vomiting and dizziness. It is very important to consult your doctor in case on these symptoms.