title: Etiology of burning mouth syndrome: a review and update.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is characterized by an oral burning sensation in the absence of any organic disorders of the oral cavity. Although the cause of BMS is not known, a complex association of biological and psychological factors has been identified, suggesting the existence of a multifactorial etiology.
  
  
  METHODS
  A PubMed/Medline search was used to identify articles describing the different hypotheses regarding the etiology of BMS, as well as the psychological and anatomical data upon which such hypotheses are fundamented.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A review and update was made of the different hypotheses relating to the etiology of BMS (psychogenic factors, hormone disorders, neuropathic alterations, oral phantom pain, neuroplasticity and neuroinflammation), with a view to globally establishing possible relationships among them.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In-depth investigation is needed to clarify the etiopathogenic mechanisms of BMS and its triggering factors, in order to develop effective and individualized management strategies that can be extended to patients in each different BMS subgroup.
authors.affiliation: Stomatology Unit, Doctor Peset University Hospital, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: Mari-Paz
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Minguez-Sanz
authors.forename: Cesar
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Salort-Llorca
authors.forename: Francisco-Javier
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Silvestre-Donat
mesh_terms: D002054:Burning Mouth Syndrome / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans