Recent Advances in the Etiology and Treatment of Burning Mouth Syndrome

Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is a debilitating condition that has a striking female predilection. Although the oral mucosa is normal in appearance, patients with BMS experience oral burning that most commonly localizes to the lips and tongue. BMS is a diagnosis of exclusion, and all underlying pathoses associated with allodynia must be ruled out prior to rendering the diagnosis. The etiopathogenesis of BMS remains poorly understood, and thus patient management is challenging. Data indicate that oral and systemic factors both contribute to the development and persistence of the condition. Of particular interest, emerging work identifies structural and functional deficits within the nervous system that may lead to a more mechanistic understanding of BMS pathology. In addition, several novel findings suggest that circadian rhythm dysfunction may be a previously unappreciated yet clinically significant driver of disease. Circadian rhythm controls pain perception, mood, and sleep and plays a key role in the regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Since these are altered in patients with BMS, this may be reflective of underlying circadian dysfunction. While evidence-based treatment strategies for BMS are lacking, current treatment approaches consist of local and systemic medications, such as clonazepam, alpha lipoic acid, capsaicin, low-level laser therapy, gabapentin, and amitriptylin. In addition, the use of cognitive behavioral therapy is reported. This review provides an overview of the recent literature related to the etiology and treatment of BMS and identifies current challenges facing researchers and clinicians alike.