Aphthous stomatitis
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Clinic
- Recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) or canker sore is characterized by the repeated formation of benign and non-contagious mouth ulcers.
- Ulcers occur periodically and heal completely between attacks
- Individual ulcers last about 7–10 days, and ulceration episodes occur 3–6 times per year.
- The severe forms may be debilitating, even causing weight loss due to malnutrition.
- Very common, affecting about 20% of the general population
- Thrush, Mouth Candidiasis are its inter related entities.
Signs / Symptoms
- They have no detectable systemic symptoms or signs
- Prodromal sensations such as burning, itching, or stinging, which may precede the appearance of any lesion by some hours
- Pain, which is often out of proportion to the extent of the ulceration and is worsened by physical contact, especially with certain foods and drinks
- Pain is worst in the days immediately following the initial formation of the ulcer, and then recedes as healing progresses.
- Speaking, chewing and swallowing can be uncomfortable due to lesions
- Aphthous ulcers typically begin as erythematous macules which develop into ulcers that are covered with a yellow-grey fibrinous membrane that can be scraped away.
- A reddish "halo" surrounds the ulcer. The size, number, location, healing time, and periodicity between episodes of ulcer formation are all dependent upon the subtype of aphthous stomatitis.
- RAS is thought to be multifactorial
Related disease
- Systemic lupus erythematosus
- Behçet's disease
- Inflammatory bowel diseases
- Celiac disease
- Cyclic neutropenia
- Immunocompromised states
- MAGIC syndrome
- PFAPA syndrome: Periodic Fever, Aphthae, Pharyngitis and cervical adenitis
- Reactive arthritis
- Sweet's syndrome
- Ulcus vulvae acutum
Remedies