Self-reported thirst · Elderly (>60 years) and medically compromised adults with xerostomia / dry mouth
Gum chewing reduced self-reported thirst in most studies (6 of 7 positive, 1 no effect); not meta-analyzed.
1 finding from 1 review
Salivary flow rate · Elderly (>60 years) and medically compromised adults with xerostomia / dry mouth
Across 19 studies the effect of gum chewing on stimulated and/or unstimulated salivary flow rate was mixed (9 positive, 10 no effect); this broad outcome was not meta-analyzed.
1 finding from 1 review
The effect of gum chewing on xerostomia and salivary flow rate in elderly and medically compromised subjects: a… 2023 All outcomesVarious (single session to 12 months) · Haemodialysis units, elderly / geriatric care, cancer and palliative care, and xerostomia / hyposalivation clinics (studies from multiple countries)
Narrative vote-count: of 19 studies measuring stimulated and/or unstimulated saliva flow rate, 9 found a positive effect of gum chewing [17,18,22,24,27,35,36,38,39] and 10 detected no effect…
19 studies
GRADE not reported
Oral mucosal moisture · Elderly (>60 years) and medically compromised adults with xerostomia / dry mouth
One small study found that chewing hard (but not soft) gum increased oral mucosal moisture.
1 finding from 1 review
Salivary flow rate (unstimulated) · Elderly (>60 years) and medically compromised adults with xerostomia / dry mouth
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1 finding from 1 review
Salivary flow rate (unstimulated) · Elderly (>60 years) and medically compromised adults with xerostomia / dry mouth
In elderly and medically compromised people with xerostomia, chewing sugar-free gum daily for two or more weeks produces a small but statistically significant increase in unstimulated whole salivary flow rate versus no gum (SMD 0.44, 95% CI 0.22 to 0.66); certainty of evidence was not formally graded.
1 finding from 1 review
Dry mouth (xerostomia) · Elderly (>60 years) and medically compromised adults with xerostomia / dry mouth
Gum chewing was linked with improved self-reported xerostomia / dry mouth in most studies (12 of 17 positive, 5 no effect); heterogeneous instruments precluded meta-analysis.
1 finding from 1 review
The effect of gum chewing on xerostomia and salivary flow rate in elderly and medically compromised subjects: a… 2023 All outcomesVarious (single session to 3 months) · Haemodialysis units, elderly / geriatric care, cancer and palliative care, and xerostomia / hyposalivation clinics (studies from multiple countries)
Narrative vote-count: of 17 studies measuring self-reported xerostomia / dry mouth, 12 found a positive effect of gum chewing [18,19,21,23,24,25,26,27,30,31,38,40] and 5 detected no effect [17,29,33,34,37]. No study…
17 studies
GRADE not reported
Relief of burning/discomfort (symptom relief; pain intensity) · People with primary burning mouth syndrome (BMS), that is, oral mucosal pain with no dental or medical cause for such symptoms
1 finding from 1 review
Interventions for treating burning mouth syndrome 2016 · Cochrane All outcomesshort-term (up to 3 months)
SoF5 Dietary supplements vs placebo. Symptom relief short-term: insufficient or contradictory evidence regarding benefit of any evaluated dietary supplement; 628 participants (12 RCTs); very low. Subgroups: ALA without…
12 studies · 628 participants
Very low
Relief of burning/discomfort (symptom relief; pain intensity) · People with primary burning mouth syndrome (BMS), that is, oral mucosal pain with no dental or medical cause for such symptoms
1 finding from 1 review
Interventions for treating burning mouth syndrome 2016 · Cochrane All outcomesshort-term (up to 3 months) · benzydamine hydrochloride
SoF9 Topical treatments vs placebo. Symptom relief short-term: insufficient or contradictory evidence regarding benefit of any evaluated topical treatment; 150 participants (4 RCTs); very low. Subgroups: benzydamine (1…
4 studies · 150 participants
Very low
Relief of burning/discomfort (symptom relief; pain intensity) · People with primary burning mouth syndrome (BMS), that is, oral mucosal pain with no dental or medical cause for such symptoms
It is very uncertain whether benzodiazepines (topical clonazepam) changes relief of burning/discomfort (symptom relief; pain intensity) compared with placebo (very low certainty).
2 findings from 1 review
Relief of burning/discomfort (symptom relief; pain intensity) · People with primary burning mouth syndrome (BMS), that is, oral mucosal pain with no dental or medical cause for such symptoms
It is very uncertain whether anticonvulsants (gabapentin 300 mg/day, +/- alpha lipoic acid) changes relief of burning/discomfort (symptom relief; pain intensity) compared with placebo (very low certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
Frequency of adverse effects ‐ dizziness ( · People with primary burning mouth syndrome (BMS), that is, oral mucosal pain with no dental or medical cause for such symptoms
It is very uncertain whether antidepressants (trazodone 200 mg/day) changes adverse effects: dizziness compared with placebo (very low certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
Change in feeling of dryness · People with primary burning mouth syndrome (BMS), that is, oral mucosal pain with no dental or medical cause for such symptoms
The review found no eligible studies for this question.
1 finding from 1 review
Change in feeling of dryness · People with primary burning mouth syndrome (BMS), that is, oral mucosal pain with no dental or medical cause for such symptoms
The review found no eligible studies for this question.
1 finding from 1 review
Relief of burning/discomfort (symptom relief; pain intensity) · People with primary burning mouth syndrome (BMS), that is, oral mucosal pain with no dental or medical cause for such symptoms
It is very uncertain whether electromagnetic radiation (low-level laser therapy) changes relief of burning/discomfort (symptom relief; pain intensity) compared with placebo (very low certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
Change in taste · People with primary burning mouth syndrome (BMS), that is, oral mucosal pain with no dental or medical cause for such symptoms
The review found no eligible studies for this question.
1 finding from 1 review
Adverse event: tremor · People with primary burning mouth syndrome (BMS), that is, oral mucosal pain with no dental or medical cause for such symptoms
It is very uncertain whether antidepressants (trazodone 200 mg/day) changes adverse effects: tremor compared with placebo (very low certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
Relief of burning/discomfort (symptom relief; pain intensity) · People with primary burning mouth syndrome (BMS), that is, oral mucosal pain with no dental or medical cause for such symptoms
It is very uncertain whether benzodiazepines (systemic clonazepam 0.5 mg/day) changes relief of burning/discomfort (symptom relief; pain intensity) compared with placebo (very low certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
QoL · People with primary burning mouth syndrome (BMS), that is, oral mucosal pain with no dental or medical cause for such symptoms
The review found no eligible studies for this question.
1 finding from 1 review
Adverse effects · People with primary burning mouth syndrome (BMS), that is, oral mucosal pain with no dental or medical cause for such symptoms
1 finding from 1 review
Adverse effects: exacerbation of symptoms · People with primary burning mouth syndrome (BMS), that is, oral mucosal pain with no dental or medical cause for such symptoms
It is very uncertain whether dietary supplements (Catuama herbal compound) changes adverse effects: exacerbation of symptoms compared with placebo (very low certainty).
1 finding from 1 review