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Treatment modalities for burning mouth syndrome: a systematic review

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A Correction to this article was published on 30 July 2019

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Abstract

Objectives

In the burning mouth syndrome (BMS), patients experience a burning sensation in the oral cavity with no associated injury or clinical manifestation. The etiology of this condition is still poorly understood, and therefore, treatment is challenging. The aim of this study is to perform a systematic review of treatment possibilities described in the literature for BMS.

Materials and methods

PubMed, Embase, and SciELO databases were searched for randomized clinical trials published between 1996 and 2016.

Results

Following application of inclusion and exclusion criteria, 29 papers were analyzed and divided into five subcategories according to the type of treatment described: antidepressants, alpha-lipoic acid, phytotherapeutic agents, analgesic and anti-inflammatory agents, and non-pharmacological therapies. In each category, the results found were compared with regard to the methodology employed, sample size, assessment method, presence or absence of adverse effects, and treatment outcomes.

Conclusions

The analysis revealed that the use of antidepressants and alpha-lipoic acid has been showing promising results; however, more studies are necessary before we can have a first-line treatment strategy for patients with BMS.

Clinical relevance

To review systematically the literature about Burning Mouth Syndrome treatment may aid the clinicians to choose the treatment modality to improve patients symptoms based on the best evidence.

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Change history

  • 30 July 2019

    The original version of this article contained two mistakes. First, in the subchapter ���Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA)��� page 1895, reference 4 is cited three times, however reference 42 is the correct one.

  • 30 July 2019

    The original version of this article contained two mistakes. First, in the subchapter ���Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA)��� page 1895, reference 4 is cited three times, however reference 42 is the correct one.

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Funding

The work was supported by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (Brazil).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Oral Pathology Department, School of Dentistry, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil

    Isadora Follak de Souza, Belkiss Câmara Mármora, Pantelis Varvaki Rados & Fernanda Visioli

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  1. Isadora Follak de Souza
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Correspondence to Fernanda Visioli.

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de Souza, I.F., Mármora, B.C., Rados, P.V. et al. Treatment modalities for burning mouth syndrome: a systematic review. Clin Oral Invest 22, 1893–1905 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00784-018-2454-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00784-018-2454-6

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