Lesion Characteristics of Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis in Oral Medicine Patients
An Analysis of Medical Records and Demographic Data
Abstract
Background: Recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) is an ulcerative condition that is common in the oral mucosa, especially in young females. Objectives: This study aims to analyse lesion profiles of RAS and identify predisposing factors that contribute to its occurrence. Methods: This descriptive study was conducted from a secondary data search from a Dental Teaching Hospital. The sample was collected from the medical records of outpatients with a diagnosis of RAS at YARSI Dental Hospital (RSGM) between 2016 and 2020. Results: Data were collected from 102 patients, showing the highest prevalence in the 20-29 year age group (64.7%), with a female majority (76.5%). The most common RAS lesions were found on the labial (35.9%) and buccal (31.3%) mucosal areas, with the ulcer lesion types (87.9%) being predominant. Lesion healing duration mostly ranged from 7-14 days (94%), while the main triggering factors identified were mechanical trauma (41.9%) and stress (21%). Conclusion: This study showed that RAS is more common in young females with triggering factors such as mechanical trauma and stress. This condition requires a multifaceted approach to develop a treatment plan that reduces the frequency of recurrence.References
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9. Al-Maweri SA, Halboub E, Al-Sufyani G, Alqutaibi AY, Shamala A, Alsalhani A. Is vitamin D deficiency a risk factor for recurrent aphthous stomatitis? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Oral Dis. 2020 Sep;26(6):1116-1123. doi: 10.1111/odi.13189. Epub 2019 Oct 8. PMID: 31493304.
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11. Zihan Wang, Haibo Cao, Jianqi Xiong, Yilong Lu, Yixiao Deng, Han Nan, Shutian Zheng, Hui Ye, Zhensheng Cao, Recent advances in the aetiology of recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS), Postgraduate Medical Journal, Volume 98, Issue 1155, January 2022, Pages 57–66.
12. Brantes MF, Azevedo RS, Rozza-de-Menezes RE, Póvoa HC, Tucci R, Gouvêa AF, Takahama-Jr A. Analysis of risk factors for maxillary denture-related oral mucosal lesions: A cross-sectional study. Med Oral Patol Oral Cir Bucal. 2019 May 1;24(3):e305-e313. doi: 10.4317/medoral.22826. PMID: 31011141; PMCID: PMC6530958.
13. Nur'Aeny, N., Gurnida, D.A., Hakim, D.D.L., Susilaningsih, F.S., Herawati, D.M.D., 2021. The correlation between trauma and poor diet in oral ulceration: an online-based survey. Majalah Kedokteran Gigi Indonesia 6, 111.. https://doi.org/10.22146/majkedgiind.54275.
14. Ajmal M, Ibrahim L, Mohammed N, Al-Qarni H. Prevalence and psychological stress in recurrent aphthous stomatitis among female dental students in Saudi Arabia. Clujul Med. 2018;91(2):216-221. doi: 10.15386/cjmed-840. Epub 2018 Apr 25. PMID: 29785161; PMCID: PMC5958988.
15. Liu, H., Tan, L., Fu, G., Chen, L., & Tan, H. (2022). Efficacy of Topical Intervention for Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis: A Network Meta-Analysis. Medicina, 58(6), 771. https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina58060771.
16. Soylu Özler G, Okuyucu Ş, Akoğlu E. The Efficacy of Sucralfate and Chlorhexidine as an Oral Rinse in Patients with Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis. Adv Med. 2014;2014:986203. doi: 10.1155/2014/986203. Epub 2014 Aug 14. PMID: 26556433; PMCID: PMC4590976.
17. Scully C, Gorsky M, Lozada-Nur F. The diagnosis and management of recurrent aphthous stomatitis: a consensus approach. J Am Dent Assoc. 2003 Feb;134(2):200-7. doi: 10.14219/jada.archive.2003.0134. PMID: 12636124.
18. D’Amario, M., Foffo, G., Grilli, F., Capogreco, M., Pizzolante, T., & Rastelli, S. (2025). Treatments for Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis: A Literature Review. Dentistry Journal, 13(2), 66. https://doi.org/10.3390/dj13020066.
2. Elias, M.L., Fatahzadeh, M., & Schwartz, R.A. (2022). Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis: An Enigmatic Entity and Sign of Systemic Disease. Indian Journal of Dermatology, 67, 834 - 834.
3. Plewa MC, Chatterjee K. Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis. [Updated 2023 Nov 13]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK431059/.
4. Mišković, A., Marinić, N., Bosnić, Z., Veselski, K., Vučić, D., & Pajić Matić, I. (2022). The Correlation between Iron Deficiency and Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis. Southeastern European medical journal.
5. Saravanan, Thalamalai; Manoharan, Subha1,; Bharathi, C. Saravana2; Shakila, K. R.. Correlation of Serum Vitamin B12 and Iron as Etiologic Factors in Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis: A Case-Control Study. Journal of Indian Academy of Oral Medicine and Radiology 33(1):p 66-70, Jan–Mar 2021. | DOI: 10.4103/jiaomr.jiaomr_120_20
6. O'Donnell, L. J., & Davies, J. (2018). The association of stomatitis aftosa with systemic diseases: A review. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 7(5), 142.
7. Rivera, C.; Muñoz, A.; Puentes, C. & Aguayo, E. Risk factors for recurrent aphthous stomatitis: a systematic review. Int. J. Morphol., 39(4):1102-1108, 2021
8. Lavaee F, Ranjbar Z, Jalalian M, Amiri MA. Comparison of the sex hormones' serum level in women with recurrent aphthous stomatitis and healthy population: a cross-sectional study. BMC Oral Health. 2021 Oct 27;21(1):551. doi: 10.1186/s12903-021-01812-9. PMID: 34706694; PMCID: PMC8549300.
9. Al-Maweri SA, Halboub E, Al-Sufyani G, Alqutaibi AY, Shamala A, Alsalhani A. Is vitamin D deficiency a risk factor for recurrent aphthous stomatitis? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Oral Dis. 2020 Sep;26(6):1116-1123. doi: 10.1111/odi.13189. Epub 2019 Oct 8. PMID: 31493304.
10. Amorim Dos Santos J, Normando AGC, Carvalho da Silva RL, Acevedo AC, De Luca Canto G, Sugaya N, Santos-Silva AR, Guerra ENS. Oral Manifestations in Patients with COVID-19: A 6-Month Update. J Dent Res. 2021 Nov;100(12):1321-1329. doi: 10.1177/00220345211029637. Epub 2021 Jul 29. PMID: 34324825.
11. Zihan Wang, Haibo Cao, Jianqi Xiong, Yilong Lu, Yixiao Deng, Han Nan, Shutian Zheng, Hui Ye, Zhensheng Cao, Recent advances in the aetiology of recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS), Postgraduate Medical Journal, Volume 98, Issue 1155, January 2022, Pages 57–66.
12. Brantes MF, Azevedo RS, Rozza-de-Menezes RE, Póvoa HC, Tucci R, Gouvêa AF, Takahama-Jr A. Analysis of risk factors for maxillary denture-related oral mucosal lesions: A cross-sectional study. Med Oral Patol Oral Cir Bucal. 2019 May 1;24(3):e305-e313. doi: 10.4317/medoral.22826. PMID: 31011141; PMCID: PMC6530958.
13. Nur'Aeny, N., Gurnida, D.A., Hakim, D.D.L., Susilaningsih, F.S., Herawati, D.M.D., 2021. The correlation between trauma and poor diet in oral ulceration: an online-based survey. Majalah Kedokteran Gigi Indonesia 6, 111.. https://doi.org/10.22146/majkedgiind.54275.
14. Ajmal M, Ibrahim L, Mohammed N, Al-Qarni H. Prevalence and psychological stress in recurrent aphthous stomatitis among female dental students in Saudi Arabia. Clujul Med. 2018;91(2):216-221. doi: 10.15386/cjmed-840. Epub 2018 Apr 25. PMID: 29785161; PMCID: PMC5958988.
15. Liu, H., Tan, L., Fu, G., Chen, L., & Tan, H. (2022). Efficacy of Topical Intervention for Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis: A Network Meta-Analysis. Medicina, 58(6), 771. https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina58060771.
16. Soylu Özler G, Okuyucu Ş, Akoğlu E. The Efficacy of Sucralfate and Chlorhexidine as an Oral Rinse in Patients with Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis. Adv Med. 2014;2014:986203. doi: 10.1155/2014/986203. Epub 2014 Aug 14. PMID: 26556433; PMCID: PMC4590976.
17. Scully C, Gorsky M, Lozada-Nur F. The diagnosis and management of recurrent aphthous stomatitis: a consensus approach. J Am Dent Assoc. 2003 Feb;134(2):200-7. doi: 10.14219/jada.archive.2003.0134. PMID: 12636124.
18. D’Amario, M., Foffo, G., Grilli, F., Capogreco, M., Pizzolante, T., & Rastelli, S. (2025). Treatments for Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis: A Literature Review. Dentistry Journal, 13(2), 66. https://doi.org/10.3390/dj13020066.
Published
2025-07-24
How to Cite
NURFIANTI, Nurfianti et al.
Lesion Characteristics of Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis in Oral Medicine Patients.
Journal of Indonesian Oral Medicine Society, [S.l.], v. 2, n. 3, p. 25-30, july 2025.
ISSN 3026-6688.
Available at: <http://jurnal.pdgi.or.id/index.php/jioms/article/view/1345>. Date accessed: 24 aug. 2025.
doi: https://doi.org/10.32793/jioms.v2i3.1345.
Section
Original Research
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
