What do systematic reviews say?

Colchicine (0.5 mg per day for 3 months) vs prednisolone

• Systemic interventions for recurrent aphthous stomatitis (mouth ulcers) 2012 · Cochrane All outcomes

  3 months
  Colchicine was associated with statistically significantly more adverse effects than prednisolone (nine participants reporting adverse effects on colchicine versus two on prednisolone).
  1 study · 34 participants
  GRADE not reported

Levamisole 50 mg three times per day for days 1 and 2 vs Levamisole 50 mg three times per day for day 1 and placebo for day 2 (lower dose)

• Systemic interventions for recurrent aphthous stomatitis (mouth ulcers) 2012 · Cochrane All outcomes

  16 weeks
  Two patients in each group reported unwanted effects.
  1 study
  GRADE not reported

Rofecoxib (oral, 50 mg on first day then 25 to 50 mg per day for 4 days) vs Tinidazole (1 g per day for 3 days)

• Systemic interventions for recurrent aphthous stomatitis (mouth ulcers) 2012 · Cochrane All outcomes

  4 days
  No adverse effects reported in translation.
  1 study · 60 participants
  GRADE not reported

Aciclovir (oral or intravenous) for treatment vs placebo

• Interventions for the prevention and treatment of herpes simplex virus in patients being treated for cancer 2009 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Adverse effects were assessed in both studies. For intravenous aciclovir the most commonly reported adverse effect was a reaction at the injection site (8 (16%) aciclovir versus 3 (7%) placebo; all patients, n = 97);…
  2 studies
  GRADE not reported

Vitamin B12 (sublingual, 1000 mcg daily for 6 months) vs placebo

• Systemic interventions for recurrent aphthous stomatitis (mouth ulcers) 2012 · Cochrane All outcomes

  6 months
  No adverse events were associated with receiving vitamin B12 or placebo in this study.
  1 study · 58 participants
  GRADE not reported

Pentoxifylline vs placebo

• Systemic interventions for recurrent aphthous stomatitis (mouth ulcers) 2012 · Cochrane All outcomes

  60 days (plus 60-day follow-up)
  Patients receiving pentoxifylline reported more adverse events than those in the placebo group but this was not statistically significant (69% reported adverse effects: dizziness, headaches, stomach upset, increased…
  1 study · 26 participants
  GRADE not reported

Beta-glucan (1.3/1.6 beta-glucan 10 mg twice daily for 20 days) vs placebo

• Systemic interventions for recurrent aphthous stomatitis (mouth ulcers) 2012 · Cochrane All outcomes

  20 days
  There was no reporting of adverse effects.
  1 study · 31 participants
  GRADE not reported

Subantimicrobial dose doxycycline (20 mg twice daily for 90 days) vs placebo

• Systemic interventions for recurrent aphthous stomatitis (mouth ulcers) 2012 · Cochrane All outcomes

  90 days
  No differences in adverse events were reported.
  1 study · 50 participants
  GRADE not reported

Clofazimine (100 mg daily for 30 days, then 100 mg every other day) vs placebo

• Systemic interventions for recurrent aphthous stomatitis (mouth ulcers) 2012 · Cochrane All outcomes

  6 months
  Clofazimine was associated with an increase in cutaneous adverse effects (skin pigmentation and drying) (Fisher's exact test P=0.015), but these were reported to be easily controlled.
  1 study · 43 participants
  GRADE not reported

Tetracycline suspension (250 mg, held in mouth 2 minutes then swallowed, four times daily for 5 days) vs placebo

• Systemic interventions for recurrent aphthous stomatitis (mouth ulcers) 2012 · Cochrane All outcomes

  5 days per outbreak
  Adverse event rates were comparable between groups.
  1 study
  GRADE not reported

Leukotriene receptor antagonist vs placebo

• Systemic interventions for recurrent aphthous stomatitis (mouth ulcers) 2012 · Cochrane All outcomes

  2 months
  The study reported equal drug-related adverse effects for those treated with montelukast and placebo.
  1 study · 40 participants
  GRADE not reported

Colchicine (0.5 mg three times per day) vs Clofazimine (100 mg daily for 30 days, then 100 mg every other day)

• Systemic interventions for recurrent aphthous stomatitis (mouth ulcers) 2012 · Cochrane All outcomes

  6 months
  Clofazimine was associated with an increase in cutaneous adverse effects (Fisher's exact test P=0.015), easily controlled; there was a greater percentage of treatment interruptions in the colchicine group due to…
  1 study · 46 participants
  GRADE not reported

Topical treatments (benzydamine hydrochloride oral rinse) vs placebo

• Interventions for treating burning mouth syndrome 2016 · Cochrane All outcomes

  short-term (up to 3 months) · benzydamine hydrochloride
  SoF9. Adverse effects: single study narratively reported that no adverse effects occurred from benzydamine hydrochloride oral rinse; 20 participants (1 RCT); very low.
  1 study · 20 participants
  Very low

Psychological therapies (cognitive therapy) vs placebo

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Interventions for treating burning mouth syndrome 2016 · Cochrane All outcomes

  short-term (up to 3 months)
  SoF8: No included study reported the occurrence of adverse events.
  0 studies
  No studies found

Low‐level laser therapy vs placebo

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Interventions for treating burning mouth syndrome 2016 · Cochrane All outcomes

  short-term (up to 3 months)
  SoF6: No included study reported the occurrence of adverse events.
  0 studies
  No studies found

Levamisole (150 mg per day) vs placebo

• Systemic interventions for recurrent aphthous stomatitis (mouth ulcers) 2012 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Patients receiving levamisole reported more adverse effects than those receiving placebo (mild stomach upset/nausea, diarrhoea, sleeplessness, dysgeusia/dysosmia), however no adverse effects were reported as requiring…
  8 studies
  GRADE not reported

Sulodexide (heparin plus dermatan sulphate chains) vs placebo

• Systemic interventions for recurrent aphthous stomatitis (mouth ulcers) 2012 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Sulodexide was not associated with significant adverse events.
  1 study · 20 participants
  GRADE not reported

LongoVital (herbal plus vitamin component) vs placebo

• Systemic interventions for recurrent aphthous stomatitis (mouth ulcers) 2012 · Cochrane All outcomes

  4 months
  Reported adverse events were minor and evenly distributed between the groups.
  1 study · 40 participants
  GRADE not reported

Prednisone (oral, commencing 25 mg with phased dose reduction over 2 months) vs placebo

• Systemic interventions for recurrent aphthous stomatitis (mouth ulcers) 2012 · Cochrane All outcomes

  2 months
  Femiano 2003: one significant adverse event (gastritis) for the prednisone group versus none for placebo. Femiano 2010: more drug-related adverse effects for those treated with prednisone than placebo.
  2 studies
  GRADE not reported

Sulodexide (heparin plus dermatan sulphate chains) vs prednisone

• Systemic interventions for recurrent aphthous stomatitis (mouth ulcers) 2012 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Sulodexide was without significant adverse events; one significant adverse event (gastritis) was reported for the prednisone group.
  1 study · 20 participants
  GRADE not reported