Effectiveness of Aloe vera in the Management of Oral Mucosal Diseases: A Systematic Review

Background and aim: Aloe vera is also called Aloe barbadensis Miller. Aloe vera has been utilized for its numerous salutary properties. It has been utilized for fast wound healing and pain alleviation. There are few clinical studies recorded where Aloe vera is utilized in the treatment of oral mucosal diseases. The rationale for this review is to study clinical trials to assess the adequacy of Aloe vera in the treatment of oral mucosal diseases.
Materials and methods: PubMed (Central), Wiley online library, Elsevier, Google scholar, and Hinary were used from the electronic databases using keywords until December 2020 to perform systematic literature. The quest was based on the terms of Mesh. Randomized or quasi-randomized clinical trials, cross-sectional and case-control studies included in this review. Literatures in English were only considered for this review. Review articles, experimental studies, and in-vitro studies were excluded in this review.
Results: A total of 20 articles met the inclusion criteria. These articles were clinical trials for assessing the efficiency of Aloe vera in oral mucosal diseases that showed the efficacy of Aloe vera in oral submucous fibrosis, oral lichen planus, burning mouth syndrome, recurrent aphthous stomatitis, and chemotherapy-induced stomatitis. It showed fewer beneficial effects on radiation-induced mucositis.
Conclusion: In the future, Aloe vera can play a promising role in various oral diseases. More studies should be performed in the future to determine the appropriate dose and effects on oral mucosal diseases. Evaluating possible side effects and long-term application of Aloe vera is also recommended.