Effective treatment of refractory oral ulcers using a compound Chinese herbal mouthwash: A report of two cases

Abstract

Oral ulcers are a prevalent oral mucosal disorder, characterized by benignancy and self-limiting progression. However, a subset of these ulcers exhibits resistance to conventional therapeutic interventions, necessitating alternative treatment strategies. In this study, we present two cases of refractory oral ulcers that demonstrated limited responsiveness to standard treatments but achieved significant therapeutic benefits following the application of a compound Chinese herbal mouthwash. Case 1 involved a 60-year-old female patient diagnosed with Behçet's syndrome. Initial treatment with glucocorticoids and immunosuppressants yielded limited improvement in her oral ulcers; however, combination therapy involving the Chinese herbal mouthwash resulted in significant improvement and complete healing after a 2-week period. Case 2 presented a 48-year-old female patient with chronic tongue ulceration pain persisting for one year without any detectable systemic etiology. Despite receiving oral vitamin supplementation and local analgesic jelly, her symptoms remained unalleviated. A 3-week treatment regimen involving the administration of the Chinese herbal mouthwash in conjunction with thalidomide led to the complete resolution of her oral ulcers. The findings from this study suggest that the compound Chinese herbal mouthwash may serve as an adjuvant therapeutic approach for managing chronic oral ulcers that are resistant to conventional treatment.