Evaluation of the Efficacy of Photobiomodulation and Vitamin B12 for Burning Mouth Syndrome

This study aimed to evaluate the impact of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) and topical vitamin B12 treatment on patients with burning mouth syndrome (BMS). A total of 123 patients were enrolled and assigned randomly into three groups: LLLT, B12, or no-treatment. Patients completed the EuroQol Five-Dimension Health-Related Quality-of-Life (EQ-5D-5L HRQoL) questionnaire and a visual analog scale (VAS) both before and after treatment. The data were analyzed using R 4.4.2 statistical software to compare pre- and post-treatment differences. Significant differences in the post-treatment period were observed between the three groups for pain/discomfort, anxiety/depression, and VAS scores. Both the B12 and LLLT groups had significantly higher post-treatment scores compared to those in the no-treatment group. Although the differences between the B12 and LLLT groups were not statistically significant, the LLLT group had consistently higher scores. Significant improvements were observed in the LLLT group (P < 0.001). Similarly, pain/discomfort (P < 0.001) and anxiety/depression (P < 0.001) improved significantly after treatment (P < 0.05) in the B12 group. LLLT and topical vitamin B12 therapy both improved the overall systemic health status of patients with BMS, with LLLT being more effective than topical vitamin B12 treatment.