Burning mouth syndrome. Critical review and proposed clinical management.

Burning mouth syndrome is characterized by a burning sensation in one or several oral structures. Multiple causal factors have been proposed, and reports on their relative importance are conflicting. Lack of diagnostic criteria, differences in sampling procedures, incomplete workups, and lack of controlled studies make the reliable interpretation of the importance of proposed causal factors and the efficacy of specific treatment modalities difficult. This article summarizes the available data, critically analyzes their scientific merit, and proposes a protocol for clinical management.