Abstract
ABSTRACT
Objectives
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) has been recognized as a common comorbidity of burning mouth syndrome (BMS), suggesting potential interactions within the oral‐gastrointestinal axis. This study aimed to test whether GERD comorbidity is associated with salivary microbiome profiles among patients with BMS.
Materials and Methods
Saliva samples from primary BMS patients without GERD (PBMS), BMS patients with GERD (GBMS), and healthy controls were analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Microbial diversity, community structure, and differential taxa were assessed, and taxa were evaluated using receiver operating characteristic analysis.
Results
Significant differences in salivary microbiome profiles were observed among GBMS, PBMS, and controls (
p
= 0.009). Both GBMS and PBMS showed higher abundances of
Actinobacteriota
and
Rothia
compared with controls, indicating shared BMS‐associated microbial features. However, GBMS exhibited reduced microbial richness and enrichment of
Porphyromonas
and
Parvimonas
.
Conclusions
BMS patients exhibit shared oral microbiome alterations, while GERD comorbidity is associated with a distinct salivary microbial profile characterized by reduced microbial richness and enrichment of
Porphyromonas
and
Parvimonas
. These findings suggest that GERD status may represent a potential clinical stratification factor for identifying biologically distinct subgroups of BMS, providing insight into disease heterogeneity and supporting future investigations of symptom variability and treatment response.