Knowledge, Awareness and Perception on Burning Mouth Syndrome among Dental Students-A Survey

Introduction: Burning mouth syndrome is a condition distinguished by painful burning sensation of the tongue and mucosal tissue of the mouth, lips and palate that lasts from a few days to a few months. Common symptoms of burning mouth syndrome include burning sensation in the mouth, altered taste sensation and xerostomia or dry mouth despite normal salivation. Treatment of BMS is by either local or systemic medications that temporarily relieve symptoms and on improving quality of life. Menopausal or postmenopausal women with hormonal changes or psychological disorders have higher risk of developing burning mouth syndrome.

Aim: The aim of this study is to evaluate and assess the knowledge, awareness and perception on burning mouth syndrome among dental students.

Materials and Methods: A cross sectional survey was conducted among dental students to evaluate the awareness about burning mouth syndrome. The study population in the study are the dental students with a sample size of 100. The questionnaire consisted of 14 questions and was shared to dental students using online survey platform. Frequency table was prepared for each question and analysed using spss data analysis software.

Results and Discussion: 82% of the participants were aware about burning mouth syndrome and 18% of the participants were not aware. 69% of the participants were aware that psychological problems like anxiety, depression can cause bms whereas 31% of the participants were not aware

Conclusion: The dental students have a moderate level of awareness about burning mouth syndrome. Most of the dental students were aware about burning mouth syndrome but there was still a group of teenagers who were not aware. More awareness and better understanding will result in better management and better treatment plans.