WHAT IS BURNING MOUTH SYNDROME? SYMPTOMS, CAUSES AND TREATMENT
Do you get that burning sensation in your mouth even when you haven’t had any spicy food?
Have you heard about the burning mouth syndrome? The best online medicine app in India – 3MEDS is here to introduce you to this very common disorder.
WHAT IS BURNING MOUTH SYNDROME (BMS)
Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is the name given for the burning pain or inflammation inside your mouth without any known cause. It is the pain or sensation inside your mouth that is burning, scalding or tingling. It is also associated with numbness. The burning mouth syndrome usually affects the tip and lateral sides of the tongue, the roof of the mouth or the inner part of your lips. BMS generally occur in middle-aged people or adults and in women.
SYMPTOMS OF BURNING MOUTH SYNDROME
Look for these symptoms to understand whether you are having a burning mouth syndrome or not
- Major symptom is the burning sensation in your mouth, affecting tongue, lips, gums and palate.
- A dry mouth and thirsty feeling
- Changes of tastes like having bitter or metallic tastes in mouth
- Numbness, stinging or tingling sensation in your mouth.
- The feeling that occurs when one drinks very hot coffee or soup
- Difficulty in swallowing
CAUSES OF BURNING MOUTH SYNDROME
Burning mouth syndrome is classified into two type based on its causes.
Primary burning mouth syndrome: The primary BMS has no known cause. Treatment is given based on the symptoms of the particular individual. Experts say that primary burning mouth syndrome is related to problems with taste. It could be caused by damage to the sensory nerves of the peripheral or central nervous systems that controls taste and pain.
Secondary burning mouth syndrome: Secondary BMS is caused by some underlying medical conditions. In such cases, treating the medical condition could provide relief from the symptoms of burning mouth syndrome.
The medical conditions or common causes of secondary burning mouth syndrome are:
Nutritional deficiencies: Lack of iron, zinc, vitamin B-12, B-9, B-1, B-2 and B-6
Dry mouth: It could be caused by certain drugs or other health problems. It could occur due to problems of dysfunction of the salivary gland or as the side effects of cancer treatment.
Allergies: Allergies to certain food items like artificial sweeteners or flavours or allergies to dental products (certain toothpaste or mouthwash) and material of dentures.
Hormonal changes: The hormonal changes of menopause in women or thyroid disease could also cause BMS.
Oral conditions: Any fungal infection in the mouth called oral thrush, any yeast infections, or lichen planus or geographical tongue that makes the tongue look map like could be another cause for BMS.
Acid reflux: The acid from the stomach comes back to the mouth.
Oral habits: Biting the tip of the tongue, grinding teeth or tongue thrusting.
Endocrine disorders: Hypothyroidism or diabetes.
Physiological factors: Depression, anxiety or stress.
TREATMENT FOR BURNING MOUTH SYNDROME
If the causes of your symptoms are identified, then probably you have secondary burning mouth syndrome. And even if the causes are unknown, the doctor might suggest treatments that provide relief from the symptoms. Depending upon the symptoms of your burning mouth syndrome, some of commonly suggested treatments by doctors are:
- Hormone replacement in female
- Clonazepam (klonopin), in low doses (medicine that calms your brain and nerves)
- Pain reliever: example- Capsaicin (a pain reliever made from hot peppers)
- Medicines for getting relief from nerve related pains like amitriptyline (Elavil) and notriptyline (Aventyl, Pamelor).
To buy prescription drugs online, you can always seek the online pharmacy service of 3MEDS.
Some other treatments and measure that reduce the symptoms are:
- By avoiding:- Tobacco, hot or spicy food, alcoholic beverages, carbonated beverages, acidic foods like tomatoes, orange and citrus juices, mouth with high alcohol content, cinnamon and mint.
- Stress reduction through meditation and yoga
- Drink plenty of fluids to ease the dry mouth
- Chewing sugar free gums to produce saliva to avoid dry mouth
If your symptoms are not reducing even after taking the few measures mentioned above, then it is always better to consult a doctor or dentist. Burning mouth syndrome is hard to diagnose, but specialist like otolaryngologist, gastroenterologist, dermatologist or neurologists may diagnose the disorder more precisely. It is always necessary to understand your health history as burning mouth syndrome usually comes in association with other medical conditions. A healthy way of living always helps to get rid of most of the symptoms.