Burning mouth syndrome: clinical profile of Brazilian patients and oral carriage of Candida species.
Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is a complex disease of unknown cause. It is characterized by a burning sensation in the oral mucosa, notwithstanding its clinical normal aspect. BMS is particularly seen in postmenopausal women. The purpose of this study was to investigate this syndrome on a clinical basis and, in addition, to analyze its possible relation to the frequency of Candida species. Thirty-one patients (28 women and 3 men; 13 Caucasians and 18 non-Caucasians; mean age = 61.3, range 30-85 years) were evaluated. Most patients (80.6%) were under long-term medication, antihypertensive, ansiolitic and antidepressant drugs being the most used. Burning mouth complaint was associated with other secondary oral complaints in 83.8% of the cases. Tongue was the most commonly affected site (70.9%), followed by the vermillion border of the lower lip (38.7%) and hard palate (32.2%). The association of the burning sensation with oral cancer (cancer phobia) was reported by 67.7% of the patients. Haematologic examination (hematocrit, haemoglobin and fasting blood glucose level) revealed 2 cases each of anemia and type 2 diabetes. Local factors, tooth extractions and dentures wearing, were associated with the onset of symptoms in 35.5% of the cases. Daily activities were changed as a consequence of BMS in 29% of the patients. Among the species of the genus Candida, C. albicans was the most frequent in BMS patients (9 - 29.03%) and controls (12 - 38.70%), followed respectively by C. parapsilosis (2 - 6.45% and 0 - 0%); C. tropicalis (1 - 3.22% and 2 - 6.45%); C. krusei and C. kefyr (1 - 3.22% and 0 - 0%). Therefore, such difference did not reach valuable results. In conclusion, these data were similar to those reported in other studies. The highlights of the present findings were the possible relation of BMS with chronic drug use, depression, menopause and cancer phobia. No association was found between BMS and the prevalence of Candida species.
Cavalcanti
Desirée Rosa
DR
Department of Oral Diagnosis, School of Dentistry, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. dcavalcanti@usp.br
Birman
Esther Goldenberg
EG
Migliari
Dante Antonio
DA
da Silveira
Fernando Ricardo Xavier
FR
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D001938:Brazil; D002054:Burning Mouth Syndrome / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D002175:Candida / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000302:isolation & purification; D041022:Candida tropicalis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003778:Dentures; D005260:Female; D006400:Hematocrit; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008047:Lip Diseases / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009055:Mouth / Q000382:microbiology; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology; D021362:Palate, Hard / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D014060:Tongue Diseases / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D014081:Tooth Extraction
D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D001786:Blood Glucose; D006454:Hemoglobins