title: Clinical oral test for the assessment of oral symptoms of glossodynia and glossopyrosis.
abstract: Subjective oral symptoms of a burning sensation and pain in the tongue may exist in the absence of any pathological changes in the oral mucosa. Owing to different treatment approaches and the lack of any specific therapy, it appeared potentially useful to identify these subjective symptoms by means of a test for an improved therapy evaluation. In this study, we have attempted to develop a method for the objective assessment of oral symptoms of glossodynia and glossopyrosis, by recording the local temperature. The temperature of the tongue was determined using a DT-1 electron thermoesthesiometer, that was highly sensitive to temperatures between 36 degrees C and 38 degrees C. Measurements were performed in topographic areas recommended by the World Health Organization in 1980. The study sample consisted of a group of 50 patients with glossopyrosis and glossodynia, without any clinically manifest pathological changes in the oral cavity, who were compared with a group of 50 age- and sex-matched subjects free of these oral symptoms and with normal oral mucosa. Statistically significant temperature differences were observed between the patients and the controls, as measured in seven different areas. The lowest temperatures (33 degrees C) were measured in the apex linguae area. The minimum temperature was significantly lower in the study group. Significant differences in temperature were also observed between the sexes. It was concluded that glossodynia and glossopyrosis, both inflammation and diminished circulation without any visible clinical signs, can be diagnosed using the thermoesthesiometry test. Such an objective test allows appropriate therapeutic treatment to be selected for patients with the above-mentioned symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Medicine, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Zagreb, Yugoslavia.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cekić-Arambasin
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Vidas
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stipetić-Mravak
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D001831:Body Temperature / Q000502:physiology; D002054:Burning Mouth Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005926:Glossalgia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013821:Thermometers; D014059:Tongue / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology