Burning mouth syndrome: results of screening tests for vitamin and mineral deficiencies, thyroid hormone, and glucose levels—experience at Mayo Clinic over a decade

Abstract

Background

Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is a disorder characterized by chronic mouth pain in the absence of objective clinical abnormalities. Vitamin or mineral deficiencies may have a role in BMS, but data regarding the prevalence and relevance of hematinic deficiencies are conflicting. We aimed to determine the frequency of specific laboratory abnormalities in patients with BMS.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed the results of screening blood tests in patients with BMS at our institution between January 2003 and December 2013.

Results

Among 659 patients with BMS, the most common decreased values or deficiencies were vitamin D₃ (15%), vitamin B₂ (15%), vitamin B₆ (5.7%), zinc (5.7%), vitamin B₁ (5.3%), thyrotropin (TSH) (3.2%), vitamin B₁₂ (0.8%), and folic acid (0.7%). Laboratory values for fasting blood glucose and TSH were increased in 23.7% and 5.2%, respectively.

Conclusions

In patients with symptoms of BMS, our results suggest it is reasonable to screen for fasting blood glucose, vitamin D (D₂ and D₃), vitamin B₆, zinc, vitamin B₁, and TSH. Deficiencies of vitamin B₁₂ and folic acid were rare (<1% abnormal).

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