The burning mouth

Burning in the mouth in and of itself is not all that uncommon. It may result from a variety of local or generalized oral mucosal disorders, or may be secondary to referred phenomena from other locations. Primary burning mouth syndrome, on the other hand, is relatively uncommon. Burning mouth syndrome is an idiopathic pain disorder, which appears to be neuropathic in origin. Thoughts on management of secondary and particularly primary burning mouth syndrome are discussed.

An up-to-date view on burning mouth syndrome

Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is a chronic intraoral pain condition unaccompanied by clinical lesions or systemic diseases. Its aetiology is unknown. Several recent studies suggest that BMS may be a neuropathic condition, though it is still uncertain whether it is a peripheral and/or a central neurogenic dysfunction. Research indicates that BMS includes psychological components such as anxiety, depression, cancerophobia. Professional delay in diagnosing, referring and managing BMS patients occurs commonly. The treatment of BMS is possible but not yet satisfactory. This review, examines recent data on the aetiology, pathogenesis and clinical management of the syndrome.

[Burning mouth syndrome]

Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is characterized by burning sensations of the oral cavity in the absence of abnormalities of the oral mucosa. BMS predominantly affects middle-aged women. This condition has a multifactorial etiology. Multiple approaches to treatment have been described. This article examines BMS, its related factors, and treatment options.

Burning mouth syndrome: an update on recent findings

Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is characterized by a burning sensation of the oral mucosa in the absence of mucosal abnormality. Various local, systemic and psychological factors are associated with BMS, but its aetiology is not fully understood. Recently, significant inroads have been made, producing a better understanding of this complex condition. The aim of the current paper is to explore the condition of BMS in an educational context with the specific outcome of increasing awareness of the condition.

[Role of various etiologic factors in the development of burning mouth syndrome]

Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) has been comparatively recently isolated as the separate nosologic diagnosis. This disease is characterized by the feeling of burning, dryness, numbness, pricking and seldom by pain in the tongue or mouth cavity area (palate, lips, alveoli) without any changes in mucous membrane. Absence of visible causes of the disease complicates its treatment and makes the patients to address the physicians of various profiles, often without any result. All the above stated made the authors to define the etiologic factors of various clinical versions of BMS and to carry out their differential diagnostics along with the development of pathogenetic therapy of BMS. 30 women of 40 to 70 year of age were examined. According to the anamnesis, BMS was developing gradually and in most cases it was associated with the aggravation of the existing disease (hypertension, diabetes mellitus, aggravation of climacteric state) or with deterioration of psycho-emotional sphere due to conflicting situation. The carried out studies enabled the authors to select and divide patients with BMS into groups according to clinical values and the etiologic factors. In most cases diverse clinical versions of the burning mouth syndrome are cause-and-effect expressions of various somatic diseases, the timely determination and adequate therapy of which give the best results in the struggle against BMS.

Burning mouth syndrome: Clinical presentation, diagnosis and treatment

Burning mouth syndrome is an oral dysaesthesia presenting as a burning sensation of the tongue and less frequently other oral and peri-oral sites. There may be other coincident symptoms and signs, but the defining feature is the absence of any obvious organic cause. Because of this the condition frequently remains unrecognized for extended periods with a variable progression of symptoms. The current paper describes the complex presentation of burning mouth syndrome with the major aim of increasing recognition.

Clinical and therapeutic experience in twenty eight patients with burning mouth syndrome

AIM

Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is a chronic painful syndrome in clinically normal oral mucosa. There are many local, systemic and/or psychogenic pathological conditions that may clinically appear as burning and painful sensation of the oral mucosa. There are essential or idiopathic BMS and organic or secondary BMS. A diagnostic and therapeutic protocol is proposed by the authors evaluating, the effectiveness of the estroprogestinic replacement therapy in post-menopausal women suffering from idiopathic BMS.

METHODS

A total of 28 patients suffering from persistent burning and painful oral sensation underwent to careful clinical and laboratory examination in order to distinguish primary forms from secondary ones. Patients suffering from primary BMS underwent to incisional biopsy for the research of estrogens receptors.

RESULTS

Only 8 out of the 28 studied patients (28.5%) were negative to the clinical oral and laboratory examinations listed in our protocol and they were diagnosed for primary BMS. All of them were females.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of a valid diagnostic and therapeutic protocol allows a better management of patients suffering from oral pain and a reduction if not a disappearance of the burning symptomatology in most of them. In post-menopausal patients suffering from idiopathic BMS good results may be obtained by an estroprogestinic replacement therapy.

The use of a removable appliance to relieve symptoms of burning lower lip in a dentate patient

The treatment of burning mouth Syndrome, in all its forms, is a challenge to the management of some older patients. The multi-factorial aetiology of this problem requires careful diagnosis and treatment planning to address the major aetiological factors for a given individual. This case report describes the treatment given to an elderly dentate female patient, whose main symptom was intense burning of her lower lip. The patient was aware of tooth clenching and various splints had been provided in the past, with limited improvement in symptoms. A simple removable appliance to prevent trapping of the soft tissues of the lower lip was provided, which produced a rapid and sustained reduction in symptoms.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Solutions to some common, yet distressing, problems may well be appropriate for use in the Primary Dental Care setting. This solution to the problem of burning lower lip, may be useful for other patients with similar symptoms. It may be adapted for different clinical situations and is relatively non-invasive and reversible.

Burning mouth syndrome

Start with the simple and eliminate various possibilities. Even if a cause cannot be found, a dentist working with your physician may recommend medications to provide relief of symptoms.

Glossodynie et thérapie cognitive et comportementale

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to present a new approach of burning mouth syndrome treatment by cognitive and behavioral therapy.

METHODS

Cognitive and behavioral therapy in a patient with severe and resistant burning mouth syndrome.

RESULTS

Disappearing of the oral pain of the burning mouth syndrome.

CONCLUSION

After a review of the literature, we propose the treatment of burning mouth syndrome by cognitive and behavioral therapy.

[Burning mouth]

Various conditions of the oral mucosa can give rise to a burning sensation. Candidosis, geographic tongue (erythema migrans), mucocutaneous conditions and stomatitis can all cause mouth burns with visible changes to the oral mucosa. The so-called 'burning-mouth syndrome' (BMS) is a fairly rare but extremely unpleasant condition characterised by a bilateral burning sensation of the oral mucosa in the absence of clinically visible mucosal changes. Frequently-associated symptoms include dry mouth and loss or change of taste. The aetiology is unknown, even though most of the literature focuses on the role of a possible underlying psychogenic disorder. Several mucosal disorders can cause symptoms similar to BMS. Therefore, careful oral examination is required before establishing the diagnosis of BMS. Additional laboratory tests or a specialist examination rarely yield abnormal findings of relevance. Reassurance and understanding are important keywords in the management of patients suffering from BMS. Unless clearly indicated dental or medical treatment should be avoided, even if the patient insists on it, since such treatment is rarely effective.

[Burning-mouth syndrome: consideration of maintenance factors]

Burning-mouth syndrome is characterised by a number of complaints of which the burning sensation in the mouth is the most important but cannot be explained by known medical causes. Although psychological factors can predispose for or trigger physical symptoms without a medical explanation, treatment directed at the proposed psychological causes has not proven to be very effective and is not acceptable for most patients. Treatment directed at reducing the consequences of the complaint that could play a role in maintaining the problem is, however, effective and is accepted by almost all patients. Consequences that could maintain the burning-mouth syndrome are anxiety, depression, selective attention, and measures taken to find relief but which can irritate the oral mucosa. The treating physician should inform the patient and help him to change his behaviour. If patients have become depressed or very anxious as a consequence of the complaints they should be referred to a cognitive-behaviour therapist specialised in the treatment of patients with physical symptoms without a medical explanation.

Interventions for the treatment of burning mouth syndrome

BACKGROUND

The complaint of a burning sensation in the mouth can be said to be a symptom of other disease or a syndrome in its own right of unknown aetiology. In patients where no underlying dental or medical causes are identified and no oral signs are found, the term burning mouth syndrome (BMS) should be used. The prominent feature is the symptom of burning pain which can be localised just to the tongue and/or lips but can be more widespread and involve the whole of the oral cavity. Reported prevalence rates in general populations vary from 0.7% to 15%. Many of these patients show evidence of anxiety, depression and personality disorders.

OBJECTIVES

The objectives of this review are to determine the effectiveness and safety of any intervention versus placebo for relief of symptoms and improvement in quality of life and to assess the quality of the studies.

SEARCH STRATEGY

We searched the Cochrane Oral Health Group Trials Register (20 October 2004), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL, The Cochrane Library, Issue 4, 2004), MEDLINE (January 1966 to October 2004), EMBASE (January 1980 to October). Clinical Evidence Issue No. 10 2004, conference proceedings and bibliographies of identified publications were searched to identify the relevant literature, irrespective of language of publication.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Studies were selected if they met the following criteria: study design - randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and controlled clinical trials (CCTs) which compared a placebo against one or more treatments; participants - patients with burning mouth syndrome, that is, oral mucosal pain with no dental or medical cause for such symptoms; interventions - all treatments that were evaluated in placebo-controlled trials; primary outcome - relief of burning/discomfort.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Articles were screened independently by two reviewers to confirm eligibility and extract data. The reviewers were not blinded to the identity of the studies. The quality of the included trials was assessed independently by two reviewers, with particular attention given to allocation concealment, blinding and the handling of withdrawals and drop outs. Due to both clinical and statistical heterogeneity statistical pooling of the data was inappropriate.

MAIN RESULTS

Nine trials were included in the review. The interventions examined were antidepressants (two trials), cognitive behavioural therapy (one trial), analgesics (one trial), hormone replacement therapy (one trial), alpha-lipoic acid (three trials) and anticonvulsants (one trial). Diagnostic criteria were not always clearly reported. Out of the nine trials included in the review, only three interventions demonstrated a reduction in BMS symptoms: alpha-lipoic acid (three trials), the anticonvulsant clonazepam (one trial) and cognitive behavioural therapy (one trial). Only two of these studies reported using blind outcome assessment. Although none of the other treatments examined in the included studies demonstrated a significant reduction in BMS symptoms, this may be due to methodological flaws in the trial design, or small sample size, rather than a true lack of effect.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

Given the chronic nature of BMS, the need to identify an effective mode of treatment for sufferers is vital. However, there is little research evidence that provides clear guidance for those treating patients with BMS. Further trials, of high methodological quality, need to be undertaken in order to establish effective forms of treatment for patients suffering from BMS.

The diagnosis of burning mouth syndrome represents a challenge for clinicians

AIMS

To evaluate the occurrence of professional delay in the diagnosis, referral, and treatment of patients with burning mouth syndrome (BMS).

METHODS

Fifty-nine patients (51 women and 8 men; average age, 60.5 years; age range, 32 to 88 years) diagnosed with BMS at our institution were retrospectively studied. Data were collected about the onset of oral symptoms, consultations with medical and dental practitioners, and misdiagnosis before definitive BMS diagnosis and treatment.

RESULTS

The average delay from the onset of the symptoms to definitive diagnosis was 34 months (range, 1 to 348 months; median, 13 months). The average number of medical and dental practitioners consulted by each patient over this period and who initially misdiagnosed BMS was 3.1 (range, 0 to 12; median, 3). Candidiasis and aspecific stomatitis were the most frequent misinterpretations of the symptoms before appropriate referral. In about 30% of cases, no diagnosis of the oral symptoms was made or explanation given.

CONCLUSION

Professional delay in diagnosing, referring, and appropriately. managing BMS patients occurred frequently in the group studied. No significant differences were found in the number of medical and dental practitioners who were consulted. Emphasis must therefore be placed upon educational efforts to improve health care providers' awareness of BMS. This should increase the rate of recognition and appropriate referral or treatment of patients with chronic orofacial pain due to BMS.

[Burning mouth syndrome--etiology, differentialdiagnostical aspects and therapy]

Burning Mouth Syndrome (BMS) or glossodynia is a chronic pain syndrome that mainly affects middle-aged/elderly women. This condition is probably of multifactorial origin, often idiopathic, and its etiopathogenesis remains largely enigmatic. Visible pathologic lesions of the oral mucosa or processes are usually not evident. Etiologic factors that have been reported include several disorders (e. g. hematologic disorders, denture factors, the climacteric, infections, endocrinological, neurological or psychiatric disorders). On the other hand psychological factors, such as anxiety, depression and phobias have been reported to play a significant role at the beginning of this nosological entity. BMS related to nutritional deficiency is uncommon. A systemic approach to assessment is essential and the opinion of other specialities, particularly internal medicine, dentistry or neurology, may be of help. Treatment is of the underlying cause but in many cases no specific aetiological factor is identified. Non-indicated substitution therapy of suspected but unproved deficiency states must be avoided. Treatment approaches were divided into topical and systemic strategies. However, there is little research evidence that provides clear guidance for those treating patients with BMS.

Burning Mouth Syndrome: open trial of psychotherapy alone, medication with alpha-lipoic acid (thioctic acid), and combination therapy

OBJECTIVE AND STUDY DESIGN

This open study of 192 otherwise healthy persons with burning mouth syndrome, examined the efficacy on control of symptoms of psychotherapy alone with two hour sessions weekly for two months; alpha lipoic acid (ALA, tioctic acid; Tiobec) 600 mg/day alone for two months; or combination therapy of psychoanalysis and 600 mg/day ALA for two months. Controls received placebo alone.

RESULTS

Most benefit was obtained with combination therapy. Combination therapy of psychoanalysis and alpha lipoic acid (ALA, tioctic acid; Tiobec. 600 mg/day) for two months gave most benefit and significantly more than psychoanalysis alone for two 1 hour sessions weekly for two months (p<0.0005), or ALA 600 mg/day alone for two months (p<0.0005).

CONCLUSION

The present results suggest that alpha lipoic acid may complement psychotherapy and can be an acceptable alternative to psychoactive agents, but trials to compare the two approaches are now warranted.