Effect of sodium lauryl sulfate on recurrent aphthous stomatitis: a randomized controlled clinical trial.
Level 2 - randomized trial
Double-blind randomized crossover clinical trial.
PubMed 22435470 · doi:10.1111/j.1601-0825.2012.01920.x
What was done
A double-blind randomized crossover trial evaluated 90 patients with recurrent aphthous stomatitis divided into three comparative groups: Group I (SLS-free vs. SLS-free plus 1.5% SLS [SLS-A]), Group II (SLS-A vs. commercial 1.5% SLS dentifrice [SLS-B]), and Group III (SLS-free vs. SLS-B). Participants used each assigned dentifrice in random sequence for 8 weeks, separated by a 2-week washout period. Evaluated outcomes included ulcer count, episode frequency, ulcer duration, and mean pain score.
What was found
The abstract reports no exact numerical values, effect sizes, or p-values. It states that the number of ulcers and episode frequency did not differ significantly between SLS-free, SLS-A, and SLS-B. Only ulcer duration and mean pain score were significantly decreased during the periods of SLS-free dentifrice use.
Why it matters
Switching to sodium lauryl sulfate-free toothpaste may accelerate the healing process and lower pain for patients suffering from recurrent aphthous ulcers, even if it does not prevent new episodes from arising.
Limits
The abstract provides no raw numbers, dispersion metrics, exact p-values, or baseline demographic characteristics. Adherence monitoring and potential carryover effects across crossover periods are not described.
Cited by
- context Studies over the past 20 years show that sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) is a major cause of oral canker sores.