title: Comparison of the Effect of Mouthwashes with and without Zinc and Fluocinolone on the Healing Process of Erosive Oral Lichen Planus.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Lichen planus is a chronic inflammatory disorder with unspecified etiology, appearing as a result of stress, genetic predisposition and immunologic factors. Erosive type of the disease is more important because of its clinical symptoms of pain, irritation and malignancy risk. Despite various medications used, a definite cure for lichen planus is un-known. Regarding the effect of zinc on healing of ulcers, the aim of this study was to compare the effect of a mouthwash with and without zinc and fluocinolone on healing of erosive oral lichen planus.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty randomly-selected patients with erosive oral lichen planus were divided into two groups of 10. One group received zinc mouthwash with fluocinolone ointment and the other group received placebo with ointment. The largest dimension of the ulcers was measured by digital calipers and the intensity of pain was determined by visual ana-logue scale. Data was analyzed with Mann-Whitney U test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pain, irritation and lesion surface area decreased in both groups. Decrease in pain severity was identical in both groups (P = 0.11). However, decrease in surface area with zinc mouthwash plus fluocinolone was more than that with only fluocinolone (P = 0.037).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  0.2% zinc mouthwash plus fluocinolone and only fluocinolone were both effective in decreasing pain, irrita-tion, and surface area of OLP. However, decrease in surface area with zinc mouthwash plus fluocinolone was more than that with fluocinolone alone.
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Department of Oral Medicine, Faculty of Dentistry, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Masoumeh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mehdipour
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Taghavi Zenouz
authors.forename: Aila
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bahramian
authors.forename: Javad
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yazdani
authors.forename: Firoz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pouralibaba
authors.forename: Katayoun
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sadr