Abstract

Objective: South America exhibits substantial geographic, climatic, ethnic, and sociocultural diversity, which directly influences the patterns of occurrence of oral diseases. This narrative review aimed to examine how regional elements, including geographic characteristics, cultural habits, migration patterns, genetic ancestry, and traditional practices, may influence the development of oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs) and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) in South American countries. Methodology: A narrative literature review was conducted, presenting the different regional elements and their relationship with OPMDs and OSCC across each sub-region of South America (Northern, Andean, Southern and Central-Eastern). Results: These relationships were described for specific habits, such as coca-leaf chewing, reverse smoking, chimo consumption, mate drinking, and dietary patterns, as well as environmental factors, including occupational exposures such as arsenic exposure in mining areas and solar radiation. Conclusion: The findings highlight that the continent presents unique epidemiological patterns, often overlooked in the literature, and suggest that geographic, ethnic, and cultural contexts may play a role in shaping the surveillance, diagnosis, and prevention of OPMDs and OSCC in the region. They also emphasize the limited understanding of how genetic factors may contribute, particularly in underrepresented populations.