A Review of the Effectiveness and Side-Effects of Fluocinolone Acetonide 0.1% in the Treatment of Oral Mucosal Diseases

Topical steroids have been widely used in the treatment of symptomatic oral lesions to reduce pain and inflammation. Potent topical steroids such as clobetasol propionate, fluocinolone acetonide (FA), and fluocinonide have been widely used in the treatment of severe oral mucosal lesions. Many reports have demonstrated that these steroids were effective in treating oral lesions with only minor side-effects. This review describes the effectiveness and side-effects of using FA 0.1% in the treatment of symptomatic oral lichen planus (OLP), oral lichenoid drug reaction (OLDR), oral pemphigus, and herpes associated erythema multiforme (HAEM). FA 0.1% was effective and safe in the treatment of patients with multiple systemic diseases and a pregnant patient with HAEM. Moreover, this topical steroid rapidly reduced pain, inflammation, and enhanced lesion healing with no serious side-effects other than pseudomembranous candidiasis, which is easily treated. In some cases, a long-term treatment with FA 0.1% resulted in hyperpigmentation at the areas of previously healed oral lesions; however, this hyperpigmentation was gradually resolved after discontinuing topical steroid treatment.