Mesotherapy with Ascorbic Acid for Treatment of Gingival Hyperpigmentation

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of mesotherapy with Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) in the treatment of gingival hyperpigmentation. Study Design: Quasi-experimental study. Place and Duration of Study: Armed Forces Institute of Dentistry Rawalpindi, Pakistan, from Feb to Aug 2024. Methodology: A total of 46 patients with gingival hyperpigmentation were divided into two groups, each treated with a different method of gingival depigmentation. The patients were grouped according to the intervention they received i.e., the surgical method vs the non-surgical (Vitamin-C injections) and the clinical evaluation was conducted both at baseline and post-operatively at 1 week, 1 month (short-term follow up) and 7 months (long-term follow up). Gingival depigmentation was assessed using (Takashi and Kumar indices). Treatment outcomes in terms of both pain score and itching score was evaluated at day 1, 2, 3 and 7. Results: All patients completed the follow-up sessions and their mean age was 39.04±9.66 years. No significant difference in gingival depigmentation according to both Takashi and Kumar indices at baseline, week 1, and 9 months was observed. In contrast, a significant difference was observed at short-term follow up according to Takashi index (p=0.022) and Kumar index (p=0.008). significant difference in pain and itching at all time points (days 1, 2, 3 and 7) between the control and test group was observed. Conclusion: Vitamin C injections offer comparable results to surgical depigmentation and may ensure long-term gingival color stability when used post-surgery.