Association between tobacco use and recurrent aphthous stomatitis: a systematic review protocol

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this review is to assess whether tobacco use is a risk factor for recurrent aphthous stomatitis. INTRODUCTION: Recurrent aphthous stomatitis is a common oral condition that presents as oral ulcers. Tobacco use is generally considered a risk factor for several types of oral lesions; however, literature is divided on the effect of tobacco use on recurrent aphthous stomatitis. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: Primary studies reporting the association of tobacco use with recurrent aphthous stomatitis will be considered. There will be no restrictions on participants' age, gender, geographic location, socioeconomic status, or type of tobacco used. Only studies with clinically diagnosed cases of recurrent aphthous stomatitis will be included. METHODS: This systematic review will include cross-sectional, case-control, cohort, and experimental studies. The review will be undertaken according to the JBI methodology for reviews of etiology and risk. A comprehensive search will be conducted in MEDLINE (EBSCOhost), CINAHL (EBSCOhost), PsycINFO, Scopus, Dentistry and Oral Sciences Source (EBSCOhost), Web of Science Core Collection, Embase (Ovid), and Google Scholar. The study selection process will involve 2 reviewers independently evaluating citations for eligibility. Assessment of methodological quality using JBI risk of bias tools, and extracting data from studies using a customized data extraction tool will be done by 2 reviewers independently. Quantitative data synthesis will involve summary measures, including odds ratio and relative risk. REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42024544566.