Therapeutic Effect of Topical Applications of Trichloroacetic Acid, Hydrogen Peroxide for Aphthous Ulcers Minor

We attempted to evaluate the therapeutic effect of local application of trichloroacetic acid (TCA) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) for aphthous ulcers minor(AUM).
Fifty four patients with aphthous ulcers minor (AUM ) were enrolled in this study between January 2002 and December 2004. They were divided blindly into3 equal groups, 18 patients managed with local application of 30% trichloroacetic acid (TCA), 18 treated by local 6% hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and the last group by 0.9% normal saline locally also(control group), all patients were followed up after 3-7 days. Assessments by clinical examination were performed, depending on 3 criteria, tingling and pain, tenderness, and surrounding erythema.
Thirty two patients = 42.5% belong to (20-29) years age group, the male to female ratio was 0.6: 1. Commonest site of aphthous ulcers minor (AUM ) was labial and buccal mucosa (14 patients = 25.9%), 38 patients =70% were non smoker, there were 3 male patients and one female affected when they quitted cigarette smoking, 19 out of 54 patients (35%) treated with the three agents went into remission. Treatment success was observed in 13 out of 18 (72.2%) patients with 30% trichloroacetic acid (TCA), whereas only 5 out of 18(28%) patients treated by local application of 6% hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) went into remission and only one patient improved in control group (5.5%).
Based on our findings, 30% trichloroacetic acid (TCA) was a potential agent with minimal side effects for treatment of AUM.