Burning Mouth Syndrome: A Review of the Etiopathologic Factors and Management

Abstract

Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is characterized by pain in the mouth with or with no inflammatory signs and no specific lesions. Synonyms found in literature include glossodynia, oral dysesthesia, glossopyrosis, glossalgia, stomatopyrosis, and stomatodynia. Burning mouth syndrome generally presents as a triad: Mouth pain, alteration in taste, and altered salivation, in the absence of visible mucosal lesions in the mouth. The syndrome generally manifests spontaneously, and the discomfort is typically of a continuous nature but increases in intensity during evening and at night. The etiopathogenesis seems to be complex and in a large number of patients probably involves interactions among local, systemic, and/or psychogenic factors. The differential diagnosis requires the exclusion of oral mucosal lesions or blood test alterations that can produce burning mouth sensation. Management is always based on the etiological agents involved. If burning persists after local or systemic conditions are treated, then treatment is aimed at controlling neuropathic symptoms. Treatment of BMS is still unsatisfactory, and there is no definitive cure. As a result, a multidisciplinary approach is required to bring the condition under better control. The aim of this review was to discuss several aspects of BMS, update current knowledge, and provide guidelines for patient management.

Evaluating the Etiologies of Burning Mouth Symptom in Patients of Shiraz Dental School from 2007 to 2015

“…Latest studies uncover that a deficiency in the control of pain could be in part the cause of BMS and that BMS and dysgeusia conditions are not linked to similar structural changes in the brain (29). Whereas the reports of 2016 still express that there is a lack of universal definition of BMS and its characteristics and that the exact pathophysiology of primary BMS remains unknown (2,30).…”

“…This syndrome has been described as a burning pain in the tongue or other oral mucosal sites lasting over 4 to 6 months which is associated with normal signs and laboratory findings (2).…”

“…The tongue is the most common location involved and in this case it is referred to as glossodynia (2)(3)(4). Other symptoms which may accompany the glossodynia and BMS include oral dryness, paresthesia, and altered taste (4).…”

Relationship between Anxiety and Burning Mouth Syndrome of Psychiatric Outpatients

“…Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) can be characterized by pain in the mouth, usually accompanied by a burning sensation in the tongue, lips, and oral mucosa without any visible clinical manifestation [7]. Etiology of BMS is still unclear and the etiological factors can be divided into local, systemic, and psychogenic [8].…”

Síndrome de boca ardiente y factores asociados: estudio retrospectivo de casos y controles

“…Deberán descartarse también enfermedades sistémi-cas, tales como el síndrome de Sjögren y otras formas de sequedad bucal 22 , las deficiencias vitamínicas y minerales 23 , la diabetes mal controlada y ciertas enfermedades hematológicas 24 . En caso de que alguno de los anteriores fueran factores causales, el tratamiento de los mismos debería resolver la sensación de ardor.…”