Burning Mouth Syndrome in a Medically Compromised Geriatric Patient: A Case Report and Review of Literature

Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is defined as “intra-oral burning or dysesthetic sensation, recurring daily for more than 2 hours per day for more than 3 months, without clinically evident causative lesions”. It can be associated with related symptoms, such as dry mouth and dysgeusia. The etiology of BMS remains unknown, although a number of local, systemic and psychological factors have been proposed as being of etiopathogenic importance. Case A 55-year-old male patient reported with a complaint of burning sensation in the roof of mouth and tongue for the past 4 months. The patient was under anti-hypertensives and anti-coagulants for the past 4 years and also had moderate reflux esophagitis. Intraoral examination revealed generalized pallor involving the dorsal surface of the tongue and the palatal mucosa, and diminished salivary flow. When tested for unstimulated salivary flow rate, it was < 0.5 mL/min. Conclusion All the laboratory results were within normal limits. After careful assessment and counselling, he was referred to a gastroenterologist for further treatment and was reassured that the burning sensation he had felt was associated with his gastric issues.