Prevalence of Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis among Children Studying at Public Elementary Schools in Sari County in 2019

Introduction: Recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) is a painful condition regarded as one of the most prevalent oral mucosal lesions. Few studies have been conducted to investigate the prevalence of this disease in Iranian children. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the prevalence as well as the risk factors of RAS among children attending public elementary schools in Sari County. Material and Methods: In the current descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study, a total number of 2399 elementary students attending public schools in Sari were examined. Of which 1780 of them completed the procedure and filled out a questionnaire about to their demographic and RAS related features. Data were analyzed using SPSS 24. Results: Although 32.8% of the population reported a previous history of RAS, the prevalence of this disease was 9.2% at the time of examination. RAS was significantly more frequent in boys compared to girls; however, the history of RAS was reported more in girls. In the present study, the prevalence of RAS was not significantly associated with age, social status, and economic status of the samples. Conclusion: Based on these findings, RAS appears to be a relatively common disease. As a result, providing families with appropriate training and basic healthcare seems to be effective.