title: Usefulness of low-level laser for control of painful stomatitis in patients with hand-foot-and-mouth disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) for the control of painful stomatitis in patients with hand-foot-and-mouth disease (HFMD).
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  LLLT has been successfully applied to various painful oral mucosal diseases, although there have been few reports on LLLT for HFMD patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Through a randomized double-blind placebo controlled trial, the painful period of HFMD stomatitis was compared between the LLLT group (n=11) and the placebo LLLT one (n=9), which had similar clinical backgrounds. The LLLT parameters supplied were as follows: wavelength of 830 nm, power of 30 mW, frequency of 30 Hz, and energy output of 1.1 J/cm2. Acceptability and safety of the treatment were also evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The painful period was shorter in the LLLT group (4.0 +/- 1.3 days) than in the placebo LLLT one (6.7 +/- 1.6 days) with a statistically significant difference (p<0.005). The treatment was judged acceptable for 90.0% (18 of 20) of patients. No adverse events were observed in any cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  LLLT is a useful method to control HFMD stomatitis by shortening the painful period, with its high acceptability and lack of adverse events.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Sciences, Gifu University School of Medicine, Gifu, Japan. toida@cc.gifu-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Toida
authors.forename: Fumio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Kazumi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Goto
authors.forename: Toshiyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shibata
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006232:Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D028022:Low-Level Light Therapy; D008297:Male; D013280:Stomatitis / Q000209:etiology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome