ORAL MUCOSAL DESQUAMATION OF PREMENOPAUSAL AND POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN -A COMPARISON OF RESPONSE TO SODIUM LAURYL SULFATE IN TOOTHPASTES

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether a difference i n susceptibility to chemically induced irritation of the oral mucosa i n 14 pre- and 14 post-menopausal women exists, following local exposur e to sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS) in toothpastes. 4 different pastes d iffering only in detergent concentration present, or not, were used. T he participants applied 1 cm of the different test toothpastes to a ca p splint covering the teeth and the oral mucosa of the upper jaw 2x da ily for 2 min during a period of 4 days. 42 desquamative reactions of the oral mucosa (in 20 subjects) were observed, 29 and 13 in the pre- and the postmenopausal group, respectively. Desquamation was only expe rienced following exposure to SLS-containing toothpastes, not succeedi ng SLS-free paste. The results demonstrated that oral mucosa of pre-me nopausal women was significantly more sensitive to SLS than oral mucos a of post-menopausal women. The difference in mucosal irritation betwe en the 2 groups increased with increasing concentration of SLS.