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Sucralfate: a help during oral management in patients with epidermolysis bullosa
1Department of Oral Surgery, School of Dentistry, University of Bologna, Italy. idmarini@tin.it
Background:
Epidermolysis bullosa (EB) is a group of genetic disorders that lead to blister formation at variable depths in skin and mucosa. Vesicles may arise spontaneously or be caused by friction or trauma. Oral tissue fragility and blistering is common in all EB types. The majority of patients with mild forms of EB are able to receive dental treatment. The prevention of dental caries is most challenging in subjects with severe mucosal involvement, as they are least able to routinely undergo correct preventive procedures. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a sucralfate suspension in reducing both pain and the number of blisters in patients with EB, and to obtain improved oral hygiene and a lower incidence of caries.
Methods:
Five patients with dystrophic EB were treated with sucralfate suspension for the prevention and management of oral blisters. Oral blisters were assessed using a quantitative scale, while pain was assessed using visual analogue scale (VAS), and hygiene was evaluated through plaque and gingival indexes.
Results:
The number of blisters, oral pain, and plaque decreased in all cases.
Conclusions:
Oral prophylaxis with sucralfate prevented oral blisters and oral discomfort. The procedure proved to be cost effective and easy to administer. It did not show significant side effects and may be used routinely in patients with EB.