Randomized trials for the treatment of burning mouth syndrome: an evidence-based review of the literature

A selection of abstracts of clinically relevant papers from other journals. The abstracts on this page have been chosen and edited by John R. Radford.

Abstract

Treatment of patients with burning mouth syndrome is problematic possibly because the aetiology and diagnosis is uncertain.

Main

de Moraes M, do Amaral Bezerra BA et al. J Oral Pathol Med 2012; 41: 281–287

The investigators restricted their search to RCTs that examined the efficacy of different therapeutic regimens that have been used to treat primary or essential/idiopathic burning mouth syndrome (secondary burning mouth syndrome is associated with, for example, oral infections, nutritional deficiencies and drugs). Grey literature was not included in this systematic review. Therapeutic agents that had the most favourable outcomes for idiopathic burning mouth syndrome were 1) alpha-lipoic acid (ALA), an OTC nutritional supplement that is an antioxidant, 2) topical clonazepam and 3) topical and systemic capsaicin. Capsaicin is derived from chilli and can bind to a calcium channel-specific receptor 'contributing to the long-term desensitization of nociceptors.' Combinations of these agents and including psychotherapy, may have enhanced outcomes.