Burning mouth syndrome: a retrospective study investigating spontaneous remission and response to treatments
Burning mouth syndrome: a retrospective study investigating spontaneous remission and response to treatments
A Sardella, G Lodi, F Demarosi, C Bez, S Cassano, A Carrassi
Unit of Oral Pathology and Medicine, School of Dentistry, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
Correspondence to Prof. A Sardella, Istituto di Odontoiatria, Via Beldiletto 1, I – 20142 Milan, Italy. Tel: +39 02 5031 9019, Fax: +39 02 5031 9041, E-mail: andrea.sardella@unimi.it
Copyright 2006 Blackwell Munksgaard
KEYWORDS
burning mouth syndrome • treatment • remission • pain management
ABSTRACT
Objective: The aim of this investigation was to evaluate the spontaneous remission rate of burning mouth syndrome (BMS) in a group of subjects suffering from this syndrome.
Subjects and Methods: The medical records of BMS patients attending the Unit of Oral Medicine (1995–2002) were reviewed. The patients with a follow-up period of at least 18 months were then contacted over phone and interviewed using a structured ad hoc questionnaire to record their current symptoms and data about their treatment responses to the therapies.
Results: Forty-eight women and five men with a mean age of 67.7 years (range 33–82 years) were included in the study (mean duration of BMS 5.5 years, s.d. ±1.9 years, mean follow-up period of 56 months). As a consequence of different treatments, 26 patients (49.0%) reported no change in oral symptoms, 15 (28.3%) moderate improvement and 10 (18.9%) a worsening of oral complaints. Only two patients (3.7%) reported a complete spontaneous remission of oral symptoms without any treatment.
Conclusions: In this study, a complete spontaneous remission was observed in 3% of the patients within 5 years after the onset of BMS. A moderate improvement was obtained in <30% of the subjects.
Received 8 June 2005; accepted 9 June 2005
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