Burning Mouth Syndrome: A Contemporary Approach to Diagnosis and Treatment
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12775/QS.2026.73.75184Keywords
burning mouth syndrome, BMS, orofacial pain, small fiber neuropathy, differential diagnosis, neuropathic pain treatment, xerostomia, taste disordersAbstract
Background: Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is a chronic pain disorder with a complex etiopathogenesis. Its diagnosis is based on the exclusion of local and systemic causes of burning sensations affecting the oral mucosa. Despite advances in current knowledge, the diagnosis and treatment of BMS remain significant clinical challenges.
Objective: To present the current state of knowledge regarding the etiopathogenesis, diagnosis, and contemporary treatment strategies for burning mouth syndrome.
Materials and Methods: A narrative literature review was conducted, including 24 full-text publications published between 2015 and 2025 and identified through searches of the PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. The analysis included clinical trials, randomized controlled trials, observational studies, and selected review articles addressing the diagnosis and treatment of BMS.
Results: Current evidence indicates that BMS is a multifactorial disorder in which neuropathic mechanisms play a predominant role. Comprehensive differential diagnosis and the exclusion of secondary causes of oral burning symptoms remain fundamental to the diagnostic process. Available therapeutic strategies, including pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions such as photobiomodulation and neuromodulation, may reduce symptom severity in some patients. However, the quality of the available evidence is limited by substantial heterogeneity among studies.
Conclusions: Effective management of BMS requires an individualized therapeutic approach and multidisciplinary collaboration. Further well-designed clinical studies employing standardized diagnostic criteria, treatment protocols, and outcome measures are needed to develop reliable evidence-based recommendations for the management of BMS.
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