Background & Aims

Burning Mouth Syndrome (BMS) is an idiopathic orofacial pain disorder that causes burning pain in the oral mucosa mainly affecting the tongue (1). Capsaicin is a molecule that has been used in experimental orofacial pain studies to replicate the pain associated with BMS on healthy participants (2, 3). Milk proteins are claimed to reduce capsaicin-induced oral burning pain (3-5). The aim of this study was to determine the role of milk proteins in reducing capsaicin-induced oral burning pain. Furthermore, the study also investigated the association between capsaicin consumption in daily life and the sensitivity towards capsaicin-induced burning pain and unpleasantness.

Methods

Twenty-four healthy individuals participated in this double-blinded, placebo-controlled cross-over study consisting of three sessions. All participants were asked to fill out a questionnaire examining their frequency of consumption of spicy foods. During each session, pain was induced by exposing each participant’s tongue to 0.075% capsaicin crème for 8 min. Every 30 s, the participants rated the perceived level of burning sensation and unpleasantness on two different numerical rating scales. Subsequently, the participants rinsed their mouth with a different solution during each session (5% whey, 5% casein and tap water). The participants continued rating the experienced unpleasantness and burning sensation after rinsing. To evaluate temperature and somatosensory changes on the tongue mucosa, semi-quantitative sensory testing and thermographic imaging was performed thrice during each session.

Results

No statistically significant differences were observed between sessions with regards to the experienced unpleasantness and burning sensation after rinsing (P ? 0.772) or the duration of the experienced unpleasantness and burning sensation (P ? 0.117). No statistically significant differences were observed for tongue surface temperature and somatosensory changes when comparing the three sessions (P ? 0.053). No statistically significant association was found between capsaicin consumption and the self-reported maximum scores for burning intensity and unpleasantness (? ? – 0.146, P ? 0.117) or for the duration of the experienced burning sensation and unpleasantness (? ? -0.144, P ? 0.499).

Conclusions

: No significant difference was observed when comparing the relief provided by rinsing with 5% whey, 5% casein solutions and water. Proteins are solely not responsible for milk’s pain-relieving. Milk’s pain-relieving effect after capsaicin consumption could instead be associated with a synergistic effect between different constituents.

References

1.International Classification of Orofacial Pain, 1st edition (ICOP). Cephalalgia. 2020;40(2):129-221 doi10.1177/0333102419893823.
2.Honda M, Baad-Hansen L, Iida T, Komiyama O, Kawara M, Svensson P. Somatosensory Profile Changes Evoked by Topical Application of Capsaicin to the Tongue in Healthy Individuals. J Oral Facial Pain Headache. 2017;31(2):139-46 doi10.11607/ofph.1728.
3.Gøkhan MA, Sørensen ES, Baad-Hansen L. Role of dairy proteins in the reduction of capsaicin-induced oral burning pain. Physiol Behav. 2023;259:114036 doi10.1016/j.physbeh.2022.114036.
4.Gaiser J, Hayes JE. More than fat – Proteins in dairy and plant milks contribute to the reduction of oral burn from capsaicin. Food Quality and Preference. 2023;112:105041 doi10.1016/j.foodqual.2023.105041.
5.Farah BA, Hayes JE, Coupland JN. The effect of dairy proteins on the oral burn of capsaicin. J Food Sci. 2023;88(S1):147-57 doi10.1111/1750-3841.16400.

Presenting Author

Muhammed Alparslan Gøkhan

Poster Authors

Muhammed Alparslan Gøkhan

OTHR

Section for Orofacial Pain and Jaw Function, Aarhus Univeristy

Lead Author

Esben Skipper Sørensen

MSc

Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University

Lead Author

Lene Baad-Hansen

Aarhus University

Lead Author

Topics

  • Models: Oral/craniofacial