Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis Publisher



Daneshpazhooh M¹ ; Ghodsi SZ¹ ; Mahmoudi H¹ Show Affiliations
Source: Diseases of the Oral Mucosa: Study Guide and Review Published:2022

Abstract

Recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) is the most common cause of acute recurrent oral ulcerations. It is characterized by recurrent episodes of painful oral aphthae with spontaneous improvement within 3–10 days. It usually begins in the second decade and decreases in severity with age. The aphtha is a shallow oval or round mucosal ulcer covered by a greyish-white or yellow pseudomembrane and surrounded by a red halo. There are three types of RAS, minor RAS, major RAS, and herpetiform RAS. Aphthae should be distinguished from a variety of conditions presenting with acute, recurrent or chronic oral ulcers. The history of early onset, spontaneous recovery and tendency to recurrence in addition to the typical clinical features of aphthae can help to differentiate RAS from other diseases. RAS is an immunologically-mediated disease and trauma, food sensitivity or allergy, oral microbiome, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, hormonal imbalance, drugs and psychological stress are implicated in its pathogenesis in a proper genetic background. The primary aims of treatment are to relieve pain, accelerate healing, and reduce the frequency and severity of episodes. Most patients experience mild forms of RAS and topical therapy suffices. Topical steroids are the first-line treatment of RAS. For patients with frequently recurring severe disease, systemic therapy (systemic corticosteroids, colchicine, dapsone) may be needed. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021.