Vitamin B12 Useful for Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis

February 20, 2009 — The results of a small trial suggest that vitamin B12 is a safe, effective, and inexpensive treatment for recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS).

"The frequency of RAS is as much as 25% in the general population, however, until now, there has been no optimal therapeutic approach," lead author Dr. Ilia Volkov, from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel, said in a statement.

The cause of recurrent aphthous stomatitis is unknown and over the years a variety of treatments, including adhesive pastes, antiseptics, vitamins, herbs, and steroids have been tested. Although these treatments may reduce pain or the number of lesions in the short term, very few have had any lasting beneficial effect.

http://cme.medscape.com/viewarticle/588505?src=cmenews

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