Burning Mouth Syndrome is a mysterious and often agonizing condition, giving way to hot, scalding, and/or tingling sensations inside the mouth, without any apparent cause. This painful affliction can even target the tongue, lips, gums, palate, or the entire mouth itself, which may be a great deal of torture for its victims. While the cause of burning mouth syndrome often cannot be diagnosed or identified, several dental conditions can trigger or worsen the condition. Knowing where dental conditions overlap with Burning Mouth Syndrome can be an initial step towards relief.
What is Burning Mouth Syndrome?
Burning Mouth Syndrome can be described as a burning or tingling sensation in the mouth, which occurs without signs of irritation. Some of the typical symptoms include:
- Sensation of burning in the tongue, roof of the mouth or even on the lips
- Dryness in mouth
- Things taste different, experience metallic, bitter or worse tastes
- Increased thirst
- Mouth and tongue feel numb, or itchy
The symptom is either constant or episodic and may endure for months or even years. burning mouth syndrome appears to be more prevalent in women especially postmenopausal women, but it may occur to anyone regardless of age and gender.
Conditions of the Teeth and Mouth Related to Burning Mouth Syndrome
Even if the exact cause of burning mouth syndrome is still unknown, it may be related to or triggered by some dental conditions. Here are some of the dental problems associated with Burning Mouth Syndrome:
1. Dry Mouth
One of the most commonly occurring dental problems caused by burning mouth syndrome is dry mouth, or xerostomia. Saliva plays an important role in the oral cavity as it moistens the mouth and can serve to neutralize acids; food debris also is removed by saliva. If there is a deficiency of saliva the mouth feels dry and parched which in turn can cause or exacerbate the burning sensation associated with burning mouth syndrome.
Dry mouth is yet another frequent cause of a burning mouth. It is commonly caused due to medication, dehydration, and sometimes by another underlying medical condition-such as diabetes. Your dentist may be able to recommend saliva substitutes and special mouthwashes to alleviate some of the pain.
2. Oral Infections
For instance, infections in the mouth can result in oral thrush-a burning sensation inside the mouth-and even bring about fungal infections like thrush. The candidiasis is one of the most common types of fungal infection; it occurs when there is an overgrowth of Candida yeast inside the mouth. Symptoms include white patches on the tongue or inner cheeks, soreness, and a burning sensation that can be simply mistaken for, and can trigger burning mouth syndrome.
If the reason behind your burning mouth symptom is an infection, then proper treatment of the infection with antifungal medications or some other dental treatments will be helpful.
3. Allergic Reactions to Dental Materials
Some may also be allergic to some dental materials such as, for example, metals in some crowns, fillings, or dentures. These allergic reactions can manifest as a feeling of irritation or burning sensation or discomfort in the mouth. Others would experience burning mouth symptoms localized around the area where the dental material is placed.
If you suspect that your dental work may be the cause of your burning mouth syndrome, call your dentist. Your dentist can perform allergy testing to guide you through other sensitivities; in the short term, he can also provide you with alternate materials which may be less harmful.
4. Dentures or Dental Appliances That Do Not Fit Properly
Poorly fitting dentures, mouth guards, or other oral appliances may rub on the sensitive tissues of the mouth and irritate it, producing painful and burning sensations. When an appliance or a denture is not fitting well, friction and pressure points as well as irritation are created that unfortunately worsen the symptoms of burning mouth syndrome.
If you have dentures or any other dental appliance that you wear, burning mouth symptoms can actually be caused by them. They might be loose fit. Adjustments might be needed, or they might need to be replaced.
5. Teeth Grinding
It commonly leads to various dental issues like teeth grinding, teeth erosion, or irritation of the oral tissues. The continuous rubbing and friction generated from the grinding may lead to a burning sensation in the mouth or tongue that may be misdiagnosed or worsened with Burning Mouth Syndrome.
Where there is an assumption that bruxism will be majorly causing burning mouth syndrome, your dentist may prescribe a mouth guard to prevent further damage to your teeth as well as help you adjust to discomfort.
6. Gum Disease
Gum disease, particularly advanced gum disease, causes inflammation, tenderness, and pain of the gums. Irritancy of the gums when they are infected and inflamed can overlap other areas of the mouth and might cause burning mouth syndrome symptoms. Poor oral hygiene and high plaque buildup, or systemic disorders like diabetes, are one of the most common causes of gum diseases.
This dental condition is treated with professional cleanings, improved oral hygiene, or other dental procedures that could help alleviate burning mouth symptoms and enhance general oral health.
7. Nutritional Deficiencies
Although not quite a dental problem, several nutritional deficiencies can cause problems in the oral cavity, and one such example is burning mouth syndrome: lack of B vitamins, iron, or zinc can cause an oral health problem, starting with this burning sensation in the mouth.
Nutritional deficiencies can irritate the tissues in the mouth, which will lead to more symptoms than burning mouth syndrome; these are simply irritation and inflammation mistaken for burning mouth syndrome.
Fixing any nutritional deficiency through diet or supplements should solve burning mouth problems and improve oral and general health.
Conclusion
Burning Mouth Syndrome is one of those conditions whose diagnosis may be taxing because it often has multiple potential causes. Dental problems, nutritional deficiencies, and even psychological factors can cause it, such as stress or anxiety. If you have the symptoms of burning mouth syndrome, it’s very important that you consult your dentist and your physician to look into all its possible causes and thus obtain an effective treatment plan.
We understand at Cure Dental how terribly painful and frustrating burning mouth syndrome can be. We really work hard to diagnose the root cause of your symptoms. Whether you have an issue of dry mouth, or ill-fitting dentures, there could be many oral health issues. We are here to give you relief from the pain.
If you have been experiencing burning mouth syndrome or any other discomfort in your mouth, contact us today for a consultation. We’ll get down to the bottom of this and have you feeling better in no time!