Effect of sodium lauryl sulfate on recurrent aphthous stomatitis: a randomized controlled clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS)-free and SLS-containing dentifrice in patient with recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS).

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The design of this study was a double-blind crossover trial. The 90 subjects were divided into three groups: group I used SLS-free (a commercially available SLS-free dentifrice) and SLS-A (SLS-free + 1.5% SLS), group II used SLS-A and SLS-B (a commercially available 1.5% SLS-containing dentifrice), and group III used SLS-free and SLS-B. The subjects used one of the two assigned dentifrices for 8 weeks and then the other for the following 8 weeks. The order of the dentifrices used was selected at random, and there was a 2-week washout period between the two phases. The clinical parameters (number of ulcers, number of episodes, duration of ulcers, mean pain score) were compared between the two phases for each group.

RESULTS: The number of ulcers and episodes did not differ significantly between SLS-A, SLS-B, and SLS-free. Only duration of ulcers and mean pain score was significantly decreased during the period using SLS-free.

CONCLUSION: Although SLS-free did not reduce the number of ulcers and episodes, it affected the ulcer-healing process and reduces pain in daily lives in patients with RAS.