So, what is burning mouth syndrome?
Burning mouth syndrome, also known as glossodynia, refers to pain or a hot, burning sensation in the mouth or oral cavity. Most patients experience it on the tongue, but some patients may feel burning in multiple areas of the mouth, including the lips, top, or bottom of the mouth.
It is an ongoing or recurrent burning in the mouth without an obvious cause. This discomfort may affect the tongue, gums, and lips, inside of your cheeks, roof of your mouth (the palate); or widespread areas of your whole mouth.
The burning sensation can sometimes be very severe, and it usually appears suddenly. The burning mouth syndrome may last for months to years. This doesn’t cause any noticeable physical changes to your tongue or mouth.
The deficiency of vitamin B12 finally resulted in high blood homocysteine levels in these patients. Burning sensation, dry mouth, and numbness of the tongue were the three most common symptoms of patients with Burning mouth syndrome.
Note: Burning mouth syndrome can start as soon as you wake up and last the whole day, or the burning sensation could come and go. This may also occur every day, with little discomfort when you wake but becoming worse as the day progresses.
Here are the symptoms of burning mouth syndrome:
▪ Loss of taste
▪ Tingling, stinging or numbness in your mouth
▪ Burning sensation that most commonly affects your tongue may also affect your lips, gums, palate, throat or whole mouth
▪ Taste changes in your mouth. E.g. Bitter or metallic taste
▪ Dry mouth with increased thirst
Important note: The risk may be greater if:
▪ You're a woman
▪ You're premenopausal or postmenopausal
▪ You're over the age of 50
Factors that may increase your risk of developing burning mouth syndrome include:
▪ Any recent history of fever
▪ Any previous dental procedures
▪ Allergic reactions to food
▪ Medications especially pain killers
▪ Stress
▪ Depression
▪ Traumatic life events
▪ Some chronic medical disorders such as fibromyalgia, Parkinson's disease, autoimmune disorders and neuropathy
Health tip:
Avoid acidic foods, spicy foods, carbonated beverages, tobacco, and excessive stress, and you may be able to reduce the discomfort from burning mouth syndrome. or by sucking ice chips
Remember, there is no over-the-counter medication available for burning mouth syndrome.
Visit your ENT doctor if you have discomfort, burning, or soreness in your tongue, lips, gums, or other areas of your mouth. Your ENT doctor will be able to help develop an effective treatment plan.
- Dr. Prashanth R Reddy
“E.N.T. health - ENTry for better senses”.
