title: Low basal salivary flow and burning mouth syndrome: new evidence in this enigmatic pathology.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Burning mouth syndrome remains a puzzling condition. One symptom commonly associated with the burning sensation is xerostomia. The current study measured basal and stimulated salivary flow in a group of burning mouth syndrome patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three groups of patients were recruited: 44 burning mouth syndrome patients, 27 oral lichen planus patients and 40 healthy patients. We chose to measure basal salivary flow and stimulated salivary flow in the three groups of patients using the 'spitting' method. Thus, the patients were asked to spit every minute for 5 min. Afterwards, they were asked to repeat the procedure a second time, but a drop of citric acid was positioned on their tongue every minute to stimulate salivary secretion. After 14 days, the same procedure was repeated for 15 min.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although there was no significant difference between the burning mouth syndrome group and the other two groups regarding the stimulated volumes, an important difference was found in the basal volumes, with the burning mouth syndrome patients showing lower values.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The outcomes of our research demonstrate the presence of very low basal salivary flow in burning mouth syndrome patients compared with the other two groups, but the stimulated salivary flow was equal, if not higher, in the burning mouth syndrome patients. This study contributes new topics for further investigation of a solution to the very mysterious pathology represented by burning mouth syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Oral Pathology and Medicine, Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, University of Milan, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico IRCCS Ca'Granda Foundation, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Spadari
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Venesia
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Azzi
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Veronesi
authors.forename: Dario
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Costantino
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Croveri
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Farronato
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tagliabue
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tettamanti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002054:Burning Mouth Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology*; D019343:Citric Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D017676:Lichen Planus, Oral / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012463:Saliva / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D012636:Secretory Rate / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D019343:Citric Acid
keywords: burning mouth; burning mouth syndrome; saliva; xerostomia