Background: Diabetes Mellitus is one of the systemic causes of secondary burning mouth syndrome. Burning sensation in diabetic patients has been attributed to poor glycemic control and regional neuropathy. Diabetic peripheral neuropathy is the most common microvascular chronic complication of diabetes, affecting almost half of the diabetic population.
Aim: To assess the frequency of burning mouth syndrome in type 2 diabetic patients with peripheral neuropathy.
Methods: A total number of 250 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus diagnosed clinically with peripheral neuropathy were recruited. Clinical examination was done to exclude any oral lesions. Oral complaints related to burning mouth syndrome including burning sensation, altered taste sensation, and xerostomia were recorded using dichotomous method.
Results: The prevalence of burning mouth syndrome in type 2 diabetic patients with peripheral neuropathy was 18.8%. About half of the of the participants (53.2%) had contributing local factors as fissured tongue, oral lichen planus and chronic candidiasis. There is a positive correlation between local factors and burning mouth syndrome, also there is a positive correlation between local factors and metabolic control (p.value<0.05).
Conclusion: Burning mouth syndrome in patients with diabetic neuropathy is complicated. The contributing oral factors are associated with poor metabolic control. Good metabolic control should be achieved to prevent effects of hyperglycemia on oral mucosa, also to prevent further deterioration in neuropathic mechanism.