Impact of reassurance on pain perception in patients with primary burning mouth syndrome

Oral cenesthopathy superimposed on burning mouth syndrome treated with aripiprazole: A case report with a phenomenological overview

BACKGROUND

Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is an idiopathic condition that presents with chronic pain and/or burning sensations in the oral structures. The syndrome mostly affects elderly women with hormonal changes and/or with a diagnosis of comorbid psychiatric disorder. In some rare conditions, the clinical appearance of BMS may also overlap with oral cenestopathy (OC), which is defined in the literature as a special form of delusional disorder of somatic type. Patients with OC may complain about abnormal experiences such as melting, feeling of stickiness, as well as extremely strange feelings of wires, metal coils, etc being present in their mouths.

CASE PRESENTATION

We present an elderly woman whose ongoing symptoms of BMS (burning in the mouth and tongue, taste alterations etc) were, over time, superimposed by cenesthopatic delusions that her gums had melted, and her palate had totally dissolved. We believe that the case is clinically striking and demonstrative for the understanding of complex nosology of BMS and OC, given that (a) the patient exhibited a relatively rare example of overlapping BMS and OS symptoms, which both are not sufficiently recognised by clinicians, (b) OC symptoms have disappeared with low-dose aripiprazole and psychoeducation-based cognitive therapy, which resulted in significant improvement in the patient's quality of life.

CONCLUSION

Clinicians are required to be aware of BMS and OC, two syndromes with multifactorial aetiology and highly heterogeneous presentation, in order to determine the most appropriate treatment options from a multidisciplinary perspective, as well as to avoid unnecessary medical interventions.

Burning mouth syndrome: An update

Background:

Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is a chronic and debilitating oral pain of the normal oral mucosa. It mainly affects women in their fifth to seventh decade. Its aetiopathogenesis remains unclear and is probably of multifactorial origin, with increasing evidence that BMS may be a neuropathic disorder. BMS is classified as an idiopathic (nociplastic) orofacial pain with or without somatosensory changes by International Classification of Orofacial Pain (ICOP 2020). The diagnosis of BMS, having excluded ‘oral burning mouth symptoms’, has evolved from basic intraoral exclusion screening to extensive clinical and laboratory investigations, which include the screening of comorbidities and other chronic pains and somatosensory testing. There is no standardised treatment in managing BMS, but a proposed combination of supportive and pharmacological treatment has been recommended.

Aim:

To review the current concepts of BMS definitions, classifications, aetiopathogenesis, diagnosis techniques, and evidence-based treatments in managing BMS patients.

Conclusion:

As BMS is a diagnosis by exclusion, thus a stratified approach is required for assessment of patients presenting BMS. A BMS diagnosis protocol is desired using a standardised screening to distinguish BMS from patient’s presenting with ‘oral burning symptoms’, and evaluation of comorbid chronic pain disorders or other medical comorbidities, which will include haematological, fungal, salivary flow, and qualitative sensory testing. Axis II and other additional quantitative sensory testing may further elucidate the causes of this condition. For future BMS prediction and prevention, will be based upon research on the relationship between other chronic pain disorders and familial history, environmental and genetic information.

The Complaints, Type, and Severity of Stressful Events in Patients with Burning Mouth Syndrome Referring to Zahedan School of Dentistry, Iran

Introduction

Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is a burning sensation in oral mucosa without visible lesions in clinical examinations. The present study aimed at comparing complaints, frequency, type, and severity of stressful events between patients with BMS and healthy individuals referred to Zahedan School of Dentistry, Zahedan, Iran.

Materials and Methods

In the present study, 30 patients with BMS were matched with controls by age and gender after enrollment. The Holmes-Rahe questionnaire and the complaint registration form were used to compare the frequency of complaints, and the type and severity of stressful events between the groups. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, Chi-squared and t-tests.

Results

The mean age of the subjects in the case and control groups was 40.13 ± 2.30 and 40.07 ± 2.31 years, respectively. The obtained results showed no statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of mean age and gender distribution (P>0.05). The results of the Chi-squared test showed a significant difference in the frequency of complaints between the two groups (P<0.001). The t-test results indicated that the average severity of complaints and the average severity of stressful events were significantly different between patients with BMS and controls (P<0.001). The results of Chi-squared test revealed that the mean frequency of complaints (P<0.001) and mean frequency of stressful events (P<0.001) were significantly different between the two groups.

Conclusions

Based on the study results, the frequency of complaints, and the type and severity of stressful events were significantly different between patients with BMS and healthy individuals referred to the clinic of Zahedan School of Dentistry.

Current management strategies for the pain of elderly patients with burning mouth syndrome: a critical review

Burning Mouth Syndrome (BMS), a chronic intraoral burning sensation or dysesthesia without clinically evident causes, is one of the most common medically unexplained oral symptoms/syndromes. Even though the clinical features of BMS have been astonishingly common and consistent throughout the world for hundreds of years, BMS remains an enigma and has evolved to more intractable condition. In fact, there is a large and growing number of elderly BMS patients for whom the disease is accompanied by systemic diseases, in addition to aging physical change, which makes the diagnosis and treatment of BMS more difficult. Because the biggest barrier preventing us from finding the core pathophysiology and best therapy for BMS seems to be its heterogeneity, this syndrome remains challenging for clinicians. In this review, we discuss currently hopeful management strategies, including central neuromodulators (Tricyclic Antidepressants - TCAs, Serotonin, and Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors - SNRIs, Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors - SSRIs, Clonazepam) and solutions for applying non-pharmacology approaches. Moreover, we also emphasize the important role of patient education and anxiety management to improve the patients’ quality of life. A combination of optimized medication with a short-term supportive psychotherapeutic approach might be a useful solution.

Burning Mouth Syndrome: Aetiopathogenesis and Principles of Management

Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is a chronic debilitating oral condition characterised by a burning sensation of the oral mucosa in an otherwise apparently normal person. Its aetiology and pathogenesis are obscure, but both psychogenic factors and peripheral and central neuropathies appear to be implicated. There is no cure for BMS, and treatment with either local or systemic medications focuses on the relief of symptoms and on improving quality of life. In recalcitrant cases, psychological/psychiatric intervention may be helpful. In order to improve treatment outcomes, a better understanding of the pathogenesis of this syndrome might provide a basis for the development of more effective management strategies. In this short review, we discuss current knowledge of the diagnosis, aetiopathogenesis, and management of BMS.

Burning mouth syndrome and associated factors: A case-control retrospective study

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) can be defined as burning pain or dysesthesia on the tongue and/or other sites of the oral mucosa without a causative identifiable lesion. The discomfort is usually of daily recurrence, with a higher incidence among people aged 50 to 60 years, affecting mostly the female sex and diminishing their quality of life. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between several pathogenic factors and burning mouth syndrome.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

736 medical records of patients diagnosed of burning mouth syndrome and 132 medical records for the control group were studied retrospectively. The study time span was from January 1990 to December 2014. The protocol included: sex, age, type of oral discomfort and location, among other factors.

RESULTS

Analysis of the association between pathogenic factors and BMS diagnosis revealed that only 3 factors showed a statistically significant association: triggers (P=.003), parafunctional habits (P=.006), and oral hygiene (P=.012). There were neither statistically significant differences in BMS incidence between sex groups (P=.408) nor association of BMS with the pathogenic factors of substance abuse (P=.915), systemic pathology (P=.685), and dietary habits (P=.904).

CONCLUSIONS

Parafunctional habits like bruxism and abnormal movements of tongue and lips can explain the BMS main symptomatology. Psychological aspects and systemic factors should be always considered. As a multifactorial disorder, the treatment of BMS should be executed in a holistic way.