OBJECTIVES

To study the connections between burning mouth syndrome (BMS) and taste perception and saliva, and interactions between saliva and taste in BMS patients compared to age- and gender-matched control subjects.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 31 BMS patients (43-82 years) and 20 age- and gender-matched volunteers (44-78 years) participated. The taste sensation for six tastants was measured using both the taste strips protocol and the whole-mouth evaluation method. Stimulated saliva was collected for 5 min. Salivary flow rate, pH, electrolyte concentrations (sodium, potassium, and calcium), MUC5B, MUC7, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), and total protein were measured.

RESULTS

No differences were found between the groups in taste, salivary flow rate, or composition. A weak association between saliva composition and taste modalities was found within both groups. Metallic taste phantom was reported only by BMS patients (p = 0.03).

CONCLUSIONS

In contrast to most previous reports, BMS patients did not differ from control subjects in any of the six taste modalities tested nor did the salivary variables differ between the groups. The relationship between salivary variables and total taste score was weak but similar in both groups. Further research with larger study samples is needed to confirm these results.