Serum zinc levels in patients with burning mouth syndrome.

The serum zinc levels were measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometry in 30 patients with burning mouth syndrome, (BMS) and in 30 control subjects with clinically healthy oral mucosa. The mean value of serum zinc levels in the patient group was found to be significantly lower (mean +/- SD = 12.13 +/- 1.40 mumol/L) than the mean value of serum zinc levels in the control group (mean +/- SD = 12.89 +/- 1.62 mumol/L; p less than 0.05). The number of subjects with serum zinc levels less than the minimum normal value (less than 11 mumol/L) was higher in the patients with BMS (30%) than in the control subjects (10%). These results suggest that in some patients low serum zinc levels may be associated with BMS. However, the number of patients with BMS was too small to allow definite conclusions.