Burning Mouth Syndrome: A Brief Review

Burning mouth syndrome (BMS), a chronic and intractable orofacial pain syndrome is characterized by the presence of burning sensation of the oral mucosa in the absence of specific oral lesion. In addition to burning sensation, patient with BMS also complains of oral mucosal pain, altered taste sensation, and dry mouth. It is observed principally in middle-aged patients and postmenopausal women. Its pathophysiology has not been fully elucidated and involves peripheral and central neuropathic pathways. Various local, systemic and psychological factors are associated with BMS, but its etiology is not fully understood, Its largely multifactorial, and associated medical conditions may include gastrointestinal, urogenital, psychiatric, neurologic and metabolic disorders, Clinical diagnosis relies on careful history taking, physical examination and laboratory analysis. Treatment is often tedious and is aimed at correction of underlying medical conditions, supportive therapy, and behavioral feedback. An interdisciplinary and systematic approach is required for better patient management, Short term follow up data is promising, however, long term prognosis with treatment is lacking. The purpose of this article is to present a brief review of epidemiology, classification, pathophysiology, etiology, clinical features, differential diagnosis, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of burning mouth syndrome. Keyword: Burning mouth syndrome, review, diagnosis, treatment.