Status of occurrence of recurrent apthous stomatitis in a group of Libyan patients

• Main Author: Sujata M. Byahatti
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2014-01-01
• Series: Journal of Dental Research and Review
• Subjects: Diagnostic criteria; recurrent apthous stomatitis; stress ulcers
• Online Access: http://www.jdrr.org/article.asp?issn=2348-2915;year=2014;volume=1;issue=2;spage=70;epage=74;aulast=Byahatti
• ISSN: 2348-2915; 2348-3172

Aim/Objective: This prospective study had a questionnaire prepared to get the information regarding recurrent apthous stomatitis (RAS) in a group of Libyan patients. Materials and Methods: A questionnaire containing a total of 14 questions giving personal and apthous ulcer details were recorded. All the details of each patient were entered into Microsoft Excel sheet and the details were recoded and interpreted. Results: Among 7500 patients who visit the outpatient department every year 460 (6%) of them who were volunteers and gave a history of RAS were selected in the study group. The age of these patients ranged between 10 and 45 years. Among different types of ulcers, 48 (10%) of them showed major apthous ulcer formation, 404 (88%) of them had minor apthous ulcer formation, whereas 8 (2%) of them had herpetiform ulcers. Among 460 patients with h/o RAS 46 (10%) of them were sufferings from different systemic health problems. Total 120 (26%) of them had triggers before the occurrence of RAS and 325 (70%) patients were without any triggers 15 (4%) of them were not aware of any triggers. When the question was asked about occurrence of RAS whether it is related to stress, 384 (83%) of them correlated it with stress and 76 (17%) of them did not. Different sites with their recurrence and duration of the ulcer were recorded. About 45 (9%) were on different treatment modalities. Among 460 of them, 156 (34%) of them had RAS at the day of examination and 304 of them were free from ulcers 304 (66%). Conclusion: Early detection and management of these patients by finding underlying etiology is essential for better management of these cases.