PURPOSE: To investigate complaints related to oral functions in the presence of burning mouth and dry mouth, and analyze changes in the manner of articulation of speech. METHODS: There were 66 participants, age range 30-78 years, arranged in three groups: burning mouth group, xerostomia group, and group of individuals without oral symptoms. Interviews, as well as a clinical exam of the oral cavity and the recording of the subjects' speech based on a pre-set list of words, were carried out. RESULTS: Dry mouth was found as a common characteristic for the first two groups. Regarding symptom localization, the xerostomia group described a larger amount of structures affected by the symptom. The complaints that were most frequently reported by this group were tiredness and struggle to speak, and struggle and choke during deglutition. The struggle complaint was significant in comparison with the burning mouth group, and the symptom was aggravated in presence of speech. Most of the subjects reporting dry mouth either as the main symptom or as an associated symptom gave off clicks during speech. A higher incidence of those clicks was found in the xerostomia group. No evidence of phonetic changes were found in the symptomatic groups. CONCLUSION: Regarding the complaints involving the oral functions, struggle speaking and swallowing were the most frequently reported by the subjects in the xerostomia group. Clicks were found in the speech of the majority of the subjects with dry mouth. Despite the symptomatology identified and the number of affected oral structures. Despite the symptomatology and the number of affected oral structures, no evidence of phonetic changes in the individuals with oral symptoms.
Burning Mouth Syndrome; Xerostomia; Phonetics; Speech; Oral Medicine