Original Article

The Evaluation of Triggering Factors in Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis

10.5222/otd.2014.026

  • Şule Güngör
  • Gülfer Akbay
  • Meral Ekşioğlu

Received Date: 27.11.2013 Accepted Date: 13.01.2014 Eur Arc Med Res 2014;30(1):26-29

Objective:

The aim of this study is to review the recurrent apthous stomatitis (RAS) patients applied to our polyclinic in terms of triggering factors.

Material and Methods:

30 RAS patients applied to our polyclinic were reviewed by their anamnesis and laboratory findings. After distinction of other diseases causing aphthae or aphthae like lesions; patients who have oral aphthae more than 3 times a year were accepted as RAS patient. Patients’ family history, trauma, emotional stress, food and for women patients, relation with the menstrual cycle were questioned; hemogram, vitamin B12, folic acid, ferritin levels were investigated. Patients with nutritional deficiency were referred to internal medicine for replacement therapy. Frequency of aphthous ulcers in the first month after treatment were recorded by the patients. Aphthae frequency were compared by the anamnesis of the patients (during the first application) before and after the treatment.

Results:

It was found that 5 of 30 RAS patients (16.7 %) had recurrent oral aphthous lesions in their family members. Combined hemoglobin, vitamin B12, ferritin deficiency was found in three patients; combined vitamin B12, folic acid, hemoglobin deficiency was found in one patient; combined hemoglobin, ferritin deficiency was found in two patients; sole vitamin B12 deficiency was found in one patient, sole ferritin deficiency was found in two patients. Totally it was found that nine patients had nutritional deficiency. These patients were referred to internal medicine clinic to recieve the appropriate replacement therapy. After four months vitamin B12, folic acid, ferritin and hemoglobin levels of the same patients were measured as normal ranges. In the following first month their aphthous lesions were recorded by the patients. After replacement therapy three patients had no aphthous lesions, in four patients aphthous lesion frequency decreased, in two patients aphthous lesion frequency did not change.

Conclusion:

Based on this study we concluded that nutritional deficiencies have a role but are not the only factor in the development of aphthous lesions. So RAS entity should be examined as a multifactorial complex disease.

Keywords: aphthous, stomatitis, recurrent, ferritin, vitamin B12, folic acid