Effects of Photobiomodulation on Burning Mouth Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (2025)
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This 2025 systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the effectiveness and safety of photobiomodulation (PBM), also known as low-level laser therapy (LLLT), for treating Burning Mouth Syndrome (BMS), a chronic condition characterized by a burning sensation in the mouth without an identifiable cause.
Researchers reviewed 13 randomized controlled trials involving 503 participants and compared laser therapy with placebo, clonazepam, and alpha-lipoic acid. The analysis found that patients treated with photobiomodulation generally reported less pain and improved oral health-related quality of life compared with placebo and clonazepam.
Key findings include:
- Both red and infrared laser therapy were associated with reductions in pain intensity.
- Improvements in oral health-related quality of life were observed in some treatment groups.
- No significant differences were found in measures of anxiety or depression between laser-treated and comparison groups.
- The certainty of the evidence ranged from low to very low quality, meaning the true effect may differ substantially from the reported results.
- No major safety concerns were identified.
Conclusion
Photobiomodulation may help reduce pain and improve quality of life in individuals with Burning Mouth Syndrome. However, because the available evidence is limited and of low certainty, further high-quality randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm its effectiveness and establish standardized treatment protocols.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39871648/