Improvement in Orofacial Granulomatosis on a Cinnamon- and Benzoate-free Diet

A White, C Nunes, M Escudier, L Lomer, K Barnard, P Shirlaw, S Challacombe, J Sanderson

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

101 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Orofacial granulomatosis (OFG) is a chronic inflammatory disorder presenting characteristically with lip swelling but also affecting gingivae, buccal mucosa, floor of mouth, and a number of other sites in the oral cavity. Although the cause remains unknown, there is evidence for involvement of a dietary allergen. Patch testing has related responses to cinnamon and benzoate to the symptoms of OFG, with improvement obtained through exclusion diets. However, an objective assessment of the effect of a cinnamon- and benzoate-free diet (CB-free diet) as primary treatment for OFG has not previously been performed. Thus, this study was undertaken to investigate the benefits of a CB-free diet as first-line treatment of patients with OFG. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-two patients with a confirmed diagnosis of OFG were identified from a combined oral medicine/gastroenterology clinic. All had received a CB-free diet as primary treatment for a period of 8 weeks. Each patient underwent a standardized assessment of the oral cavity to characterize the number of sites affected and the type of inflammation involved before and after diet. RESULTS: There was a significant improvement in oral inflammation in patients on the diet after 8 weeks. Both global oral and lip inflammatory scores improved (P
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)508 - 514
Number of pages7
JournalInflammatory Bowel Diseases
Volume12
Issue number6
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jun 2006

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