Page 15 - JCTR-10-4

Journal of Clinical and Translational Research 2024; 10(4): 237-245

Journal of Clinical and Translational Research

Journal homepage: http://www.jctres.com/en/home

REVIEW ARTICLE

Therapeutic methods for burning mouth syndrome: an umbrella review

Hittalo Carlos Rodrigues de Almeida , Ana Maria Ipólito Barros , Juliana da Silva Vieira , Pedro Henrique Sette-de-Souza *,
1
1
2
1
Márcia Maria Fonseca da Silveira , Ana Paula Veras Sobral 1
1
2
1 Department of Stomatology and Oral Pathology, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil, Graduate
Program in Health and Socioenvironmental Development, University of Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
ARTICLE INFO Abstract
Article history: Background: An umbrella review on the treatment of burning mouth syndrome (BMS) may aid
Received: May 14, 2024 clinicians in selecting the most effective treatment modality to improve patients’ symptoms based
Accepted: July 26, 2024 on the best available evidence.
Published Online: August 23, 2024 Aim: The aim of the study was to perform an umbrella review of available systematic reviews on
therapeutic methods used to alleviate BMS symptoms.
Keywords: Methods: This study was conducted following the Preferred Reporting for Systematic Reviews
Burning mouth syndrome and Meta-analyses and is registered with the Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews
Treatment (registration number CRD42021268587). The following databases were searched: PubMed, the
Stomatodynia Cochrane Library, Scopus, Embase, and Web of Science. The PICOT question was “For the relief
Systematic review of symptomatology, discomfort, and burning sensation caused by BMS, what is the best strategy?”
A total of 197 articles were retrieved. After eliminating duplicates, 101 studies were evaluated for
*Corresponding author: inclusion. Finally, eight articles were included in the study.
Pedro Henrique Sette-de-Souza Results: The most indicated pharmacological measure was clonazepam with short- and long-
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Saúde e term effects on symptomatology relief. However, a standardized BMS treatment protocol
Desenvolvimento Socioambiental, University is not described in the literature, since non-pharmacological therapeutic measures, such as
of Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil psychotherapy and placebos, reduce the symptomatology of the pathology. The quality of the
Email: pedro.souza@upe.br studies was analyzed through the evaluation of systematic reviews in dentistry (Glenny scale) and
the Assessment of the Methodological Quality of Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR 2). According
© 2024 Author(s). This is an Open- to the Glenny scale, the included studies are of moderate-to-high quality. However, according
Access article distributed under the terms to AMSTAR 2, only two studies are of a high-quality level, while the others are classified as
of the Creative Commons Attribution- critically low.
Noncommercial License, permitting all
non-commercial use, distribution, and Conclusion: The use of pharmacological (clonazepam) and non-pharmacological (psychotherapy
reproduction in any medium, provided the and placebo) measures reduces BMS symptoms.
original work is properly cited. Relevance for Patients: This review on BMS treatment may aid clinicians in making better-informed
decisions regarding treatment modality based on the best available evidence.

1. Introduction
Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is an oral dysesthesia characterized by a burning
sensation, burning, or pain on the tip of the tongue and lateral edges, labial mucosa, and
hard and soft palate [1,2]. The International Headache Society defines BMS as intraoral
discomfort that occurs daily for more than 2 h for at least 3 months without a clinically
evident cause [3,4]. Its estimated prevalence is 0.7 – 5.0% in the general population,
though being more frequent in middle-aged and older women, mainly in the menopausal
or postmenopausal period, with a prevalence of 12 – 18% [5-7]. BMS can be idiopathic/
primary when it occurs spontaneously and without specific factors, or secondary, when
associated with systemic factors [8,9].

DOI: https://doi.org/10.36922/jctr.24.00018