Global prevalence of recurrent aphthous stomatitis among school and university students: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
- 1Dental Materials Research Center, Health Research Institute, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran.
- 2Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Health Research Institute, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran.
- 3School of Medicine, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran.
Abstract
Background
Aphthous lesions are common oral diseases that can affect the quality of life, especially in students, and are frequently triggered by factors such as stress. This study aimed to assess the global prevalence of recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) among students.Methods
Methods : This systematic review analyzed relevant evidence from international databases, including Scopus, PubMed/Medline, Web of Science, Embase, and Google Scholar, covering data from the earliest available records up to February 2025. Heterogeneity was assessed using Cochran's Q test and the I² statistic. Subgroup analyses were conducted based on gender, measurement tools, and target population, while meta-regression analysis was performed considering the study year.Results
Results : A total of 614 studies were reviewed, of which 28 met the inclusion criteria. Based on the random-effects model, the overall prevalence of RAS among the target population of students (both school and university students) was estimated to be 0.14 (95% CI, 0.06-0.24). The prevalence among school students was 0.12 (95% CI, 0.02-0.28), while among university students it was 0.15 (95% CI, 0.05-0.29). Furthermore, the prevalence of RAS was reported as 0.18 (95% CI, 0.05-0.36) in females and 0.10 (95% CI, 0.04-0.19) in males. Although the prevalence appeared to decrease over time, this reduction was not statistically significant (Reg Coef = -0.13, p = 0.115).Conclusions
This study estimates the global prevalence of RAS among students to be 14%. The findings highlight the need for standardized strategies for the diagnosis and management of oral aphthous lesions in schools and universities.
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BibTeX
@article{majd2026global,
title = {{Global prevalence of recurrent aphthous stomatitis among school and university students: a systematic review and meta-analysis.}},
author = {Ariana Rezaei Majd and Hossein-Ali Nikbakht and Pouyan Ebrahimi and Amin Esmaeilnia Shirvani and Simin Mouodi},
journal = {Caspian journal of internal medicine},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.22088/cjim.17.3.480},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42924163},
note = {CC BY-NC},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Global prevalence of recurrent aphthous stomatitis among school and university students: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
AU - Ariana Rezaei Majd
AU - Hossein-Ali Nikbakht
AU - Pouyan Ebrahimi
AU - Amin Esmaeilnia Shirvani
AU - Simin Mouodi
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/01
JO - Caspian journal of internal medicine
DO - 10.22088/cjim.17.3.480
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42924163
AB - Background Aphthous lesions are common oral diseases that can affect the quality of life, especially in students, and are frequently triggered by factors such as stress. This study aimed to assess the global prevalence of recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) among students.Methods Methods : This systematic review analyzed relevant evidence from international databases, including Scopus, PubMed/Medline, Web of Science, Embase, and Google Scholar, covering data from the earliest available records up to February 2025. Heterogeneity was assessed using Cochran's Q test and the I² statistic. Subgroup analyses were conducted based on gender, measurement tools, and target population, while meta-regression analysis was performed considering the study year.Results Results : A total of 614 studies were reviewed, of which 28 met the inclusion criteria. Based on the random-effects model, the overall prevalence of RAS among the target population of students (both school and university students) was estimated to be 0.14 (95% CI, 0.06-0.24). The prevalence among school students was 0.12 (95% CI, 0.02-0.28), while among university students it was 0.15 (95% CI, 0.05-0.29). Furthermore, the prevalence of RAS was reported as 0.18 (95% CI, 0.05-0.36) in females and 0.10 (95% CI, 0.04-0.19) in males. Although the prevalence appeared to decrease over time, this reduction was not statistically significant (Reg Coef = -0.13, p = 0.115).Conclusions This study estimates the global prevalence of RAS among students to be 14%. The findings highlight the need for standardized strategies for the diagnosis and management of oral aphthous lesions in schools and universities.
SN - 2008-6164
SN - 2008-6172
ER -