1/2. burning mouth syndrome.A critical component of the dental hygiene process of care is assessment of the oral and general health conditions of clients. Some clients present with burning and painful sensations in the oral cavity in the absence of any noticeable disease. This condition has been referred to as burning mouth syndrome (BMS), an often complicated condition. Various local, systemic, and psychological factors have been linked with BMS, but its etiology is not fully understood. Yet as many as one million people are affected by it in the united states, and it is an increasingly-common problem in the aging population. Middle-aged women, mostly postmenopausal, are diagnosed with symptoms seven times more frequently than men. Careful diagnosis and treatment are necessary to alleviate the symptoms of this condition. Referral to a physician is warranted in some cases. The purposes of this course are to review the etiologic factors and clinical implications related to this condition and to discuss appropriate dental hygiene interventions. Collaboration among the client, dental hygienist, dentist, and physician provides for interdisciplinary actions that can lead to palliation of symptoms and evaluation of the possible underlying factors contributing to the condition.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = physician (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/2. Diabetic neuropathy masquerading as glossodynia.BACKGROUND: Diabetic neuropathy, or DN, occurs in approximately 50 percent of patients who have type 2 diabetes mellitus, or DM. Oral burning and symptoms consistent with glossodynia (burning mouth syndrome) may occur secondary to DN. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 54-year-old woman reported to a university dental clinic with a chief complaint of oral burning. No clinical signs were evident. Her medical history was positive for type 2 DM. The initial diagnosis was glossodynia, and she was evaluated with relevant blood studies, which indicated that her diabetes was not well-controlled. The patient was referred back to her physician, and her symptoms abated once her diabetic condition was under control. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: It is important to consider DN within the differential diagnoses of patients who have symptoms consistent with glossodynia but have no clinical signs. dentists are invaluable in ascertaining underlying systemic disease considerations in patients with oral symptomatology. Cooperation between dentists and physicians often is helpful and necessary in caring for patients who have uncontrolled type 2 DM and oral symptoms.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = physician (Clic here for more details about this article) |