Clinical assessment and outcome in 70 patients with complaints of burning or sore mouth symptoms.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To review a series of patients with a burning or sore mouth for elucidation of associated conditions and treatment outcome. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We retrospectively studied 70 consecutive patients with a burning or sore mouth who were encountered at a tertiary-care center between 1979 and 1992. Clinical and laboratory findings were summarized, and follow-up data were analyzed. RESULTS: The study cohort of 56 women and 14 men had a mean age of 59 years. They had had a burning or sore mouth for a mean duration of 2.5 years. Multiple etiologic factors for the burning or sore mouth were present in 37% of the study subjects. The most frequently associated conditions were psychiatric disease (30%), xerostomia (24%), geographic tongue (24%), nutritional deficiencies (21%), and allergic contact stomatitis (13%). With a treatment course tailored to the suspected causal factor, 72% of the patients who had follow-up reported improvement. CONCLUSION: With a directed investigation, one or more causes could be identified in most patients who had a burning or sore mouth. Successful management of these symptoms was possible in a majority of the patients.