Combination of Turmeric and Vitamin B6 in Burning Mouth Syndrome: A Retrospective Single-Arm Study

Abstract

Background: Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is a chronic condition characterized by an intractable burning sensation in the oral cavity without visible mucosal lesions. Current treatment options are diverse but often limited by variable efficacy and patient tolerance. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of turmeric combined with vitamin B6 (pyridoxine HCl) in treating BMS. Methods: In this retrospective, single-arm study, 28 non-smoking female patients with BMS were treated with a daily regimen of turmeric and vitamin B6 for 60 days. The pain intensity was assessed using the visual analog scale (VAS) before treatment initiation (baseline VAS, BVAS) and after the treatment period (final VAS, FVAS). The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was utilized to analyze changes in the VAS scores. Results: The mean BVAS score was 5.61 (SD = 1.87), indicating moderate pain at baseline. Post-treatment, the mean FVAS score significantly decreased to 2.14 (SD = 1.35). The median delta in the VAS scores demonstrated a substantial reduction in pain intensity (median delta = 4.0; mean delta = 3.46; SD = 2.05). Statistical analyses revealed a significant reduction in the VAS scores (W = 0.0, p < 0.0001). Conclusions: The combination of turmeric and vitamin B6 was found to significantly reduce pain scores in patients with BMS, indicating this therapeutic approach may be a promising alternative for BMS management. Larger-scale clinical trials are warranted to further validate these findings.