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. 2024 Sep 29;16(9):e70419.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.70419. eCollection 2024 Sep.

Evaluating the Impact of Different Treatments on the Quality of Life in Patients With Burning Mouth Syndrome: A Scoping Review

João Mendes Abreu  1   2   3 , Anabela Quitério  4   3 , Érica Cerqueira  4   3 , Rita Ribeiro  1   3 , Tiago Nunes  1   3 , José Pedro Figueiredo  1   2   3 , Ana Corte Real  1   3
Affiliations

Evaluating the Impact of Different Treatments on the Quality of Life in Patients With Burning Mouth Syndrome: A Scoping Review

João Mendes Abreu et al. Cureus. .

Abstract

The profound impact of burning mouth syndrome (BMS) on patients' quality of life (QoL) highlights the critical need to identify effective treatments for this condition. This study aims to evaluate and compare the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) among individuals diagnosed with BMS, focusing on different treatment modalities. For that purpose, a scoping review was designed following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) for scoping review reporting guidelines and the registration with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO). An electronic search was then conducted in March 2024, encompassing the following databases: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, Web of Science, and Trip Database. Publications were deemed eligible if they assessed the impact of different treatments for BMS on health-related and oral health-related QoL. Out of the initial 5400, only 13 studies were considered suitable to be included in this review. The instrument used to evaluate HRQoL was the 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36). For OHRQoL, the preferred tools were the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP) and the Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI). Literature reported improvements in patients' HRQoL across the majority of analyzed treatment modalities. However, low-level laser therapy (LLLT) and n-acetylcysteine (NAC) plus clonazepam were the most effective in improving OHRQoL. This review highlights several promising treatment options for improving both HRQoL and OHRQoL in individuals with BMS. Nevertheless, the variability among the studies analyzed underscores the need for further research to identify and establish consistently effective treatments for this condition, reflecting the need for consistent trial designs to accurately assess the true impact of treatments on the disease.

Keywords: burning mouth syndrome; clonazepam; health-related quality of life; low-level laser therapy; oral health; quality of life (qol).

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. PRISMA flowchart describing article selection
PRISMA, Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses; BMS, burning mouth syndrome
Figure 2
Figure 2. Quality assessment for randomized controlled trials
References: Arduino et al. [24], Bardellini et al. [25], Cano-Carrillo et al. [26], de Pedro et al. [27], Jurisic Kvesic et al. [28], Sikora et al. [29], Spanemberg et al. [30], Valenzuela and Lopez-Jornet [31], and Valenzuela et al. [32]
Figure 3
Figure 3. Visual representation of quality assessment for randomized controlled trials
Figure 4
Figure 4. Quality assessment for non-randomized controlled trials
References: Han et al. [33], Sardella et al. [34], Kato et al. [35], and Sugimoto [36]
Figure 5
Figure 5. Visual representation of quality assessment for non-randomized controlled trials
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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