Title: Correlation between salivary cortisol and anxiety in recurrent aphthous stomatitis

Background and Aims :Recurrent aphthous stomatitis is one of the most common inflammatory diseases of the oral mucosa with multifactorial etiology .Psychological factors is one of the possible factors cause to recurrent aphthous ulcers and salivary cortisol level also influenced by anxiety, this study aimed to compare salivary cortisol levels in patients with recurrent aphthous ulcers( during active ulcerative disease and healing periods )with healthy persons. Materials and Methods:In this case-control study unstimulated salivary samples from 30 patient with RAS above 10 years (in active ulcerative stage and 2 days after healing) and 30 healthy subjects (control group) attending to Zahedan dental school who age and gender were matched was collected and transferred to the laboratory for salivary cortisol levels measurement )Eliza method).Hamilton Anxiety Scale questionnaire was also completed to assess the level of anxiety for participants.Data were analyzed using Spss 20 and sample T-Test Results: Salivary cortisol levels in RAS patients in active ulcerative and healing periods no significantly differed(P=0.171).Salivary cortisol levels in healthy subjects and RAS patients in ulcerative period no significantly differed (p=0.272).Also cortisol levels in RAS patients in healing period and control group no significantly differed.(P= 0.97) Conclusion: According to the results ,salivary cortisol levels in ulcerative and healing periods in RAS patients and healthy subjects no differed .Also, cortisol levels no related to aphthea occurrence .