Somatosensory profiling of intra‐oral capsaicin and menthol in healthy subjects

<jats:p>This study was designed to investigate the effect of surrogate orofacial pain models on the quantitative sensory testing (<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">QST</jats:styled-content>) profile in healthy participants. Capsaicin, menthol, or saline (control) were applied topically onto the gingiva of 15 healthy subjects for 15 min. During application, the subjects rated pain intensity on a score of 0–10, on an electronic visual analog scale (<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">VAS</jats:styled-content>). A standardized intra‐oral <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">QST</jats:styled-content> protocol was performed before and immediately after application. Data obtained before and after application were compared using rank‐sum tests, and <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">QST</jats:styled-content> profiles were made after <jats:italic>Z</jats:italic>‐transformation. Application of capsaicin caused moderate levels of pain (<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">VAS</jats:styled-content><jats:sub>peak</jats:sub> = 6.0 ± 0.7), and application of menthol produced mild levels of pain (<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">VAS</jats:styled-content><jats:sub>peak</jats:sub> = 1.8 ± 0.6). Capsaicin induced hypersensitivity to warmth, heat pain and cold pain and hyposensitivity to mechanical stimuli. Menthol induced hypersensitivity to cold and warmth. Saline caused hypersensitivity to heat pain and hyposensitivity to mechanical stimuli. However, somatosensory profiles from <jats:italic>Z</jats:italic>‐scores demonstrated sensory gains regarding warmth detection and heat pain only after application of capsaicin. In conclusion, a standardized battery of <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">QST</jats:styled-content> showed somatosensory changes after application of capsaicin, menthol and saline to the gingiva. However, the <jats:italic>Z</jats:italic>‐score‐based profiles may only reflect the most prominent somatosensory changes and thus represent a conservative approach for evaluation of data.</jats:p>