Think back to the last time you ate a hot pepper. Remember the slow burn that spread across your lips and tongue, maybe even moving towards the inside of your cheek and the back of your throat? For most people, taking a big drink of milk relieves this burning sensation. Now imagine that you feel this slow burn all the time, with no apparent cause. This is burning mouth syndrome, and it affects an estimated 2% of people in the U.S. What is burning mouth syndrome and what are its common symptoms?
What is burning mouth syndrome?
Burning mouth syndrome refers to a specific collection of ongoing painful symptoms that have no clear cause. For those who suffer from it, there are no obvious signs of injury that would cause it in their mouth and no abnormalities in blood work that would lead to a definitive diagnosis (and treatment).
Unlike the sting of a hot pepper, burning mouth syndrome is chronic, not episodic, with no known cure. There are two classifications of burning mouth syndrome:
- Primary: An idiopathic syndrome with no clear cause
- Secondary: More of a side effect than a syndrome
8 burning mouth syndrome causes
Absent a clear, definitive test or cause of burning mouth syndrome, it’s important to look at risk factors. Perimenopausal or menopausal women over 50 seem to be most at risk for developing burning mouth syndrome. If you have experienced a recent adverse life event or are under tremendous stress, your risk increases. Chronic medical disorders such as Parkinson’s disease and autoimmune disorders both increase your risk.
Sometimes, dental procedures that irritate the trigeminal nerve can trigger burning mouth syndrome, as can rare allergic reactions or vitamin deficiencies.
It is challenging to identify specific burning mouth syndrome causes, but there are eight possibilities.
1. Neuropathic pain
Facial nerve damage or cranial nerve pain may lead to burning mouth syndrome symptoms. The trigeminal nerve enervates the areas of your face and the skull. It originates just in front of the ears of either side of the face and branches off into three main branches.
Damage to this nerve can cause pain as well as the hallmark burning sensation of burning mouth syndrome. It is the most likely cause of primary burning mouth syndrome.
2. Menopause
There is very little research on why menopause (and even perimenopause leading up to it) prompts burning mouth syndrome, but changes in hormones may be the culprit.
3. Adversity (including death in the family and job loss)
Stress works in remarkable ways on the body.
Again, why adverse life events would lead to this syndrome is unclear, but it may be as a result of extreme stress and a person’s physical response to it.
4. Psychiatric and mood disorders
Because the body and mind are inextricably linked (and due to hormonal imbalances present for some people), burning mouth syndrome may be cause by psychiatric and mood disorders.
These linked disorders may include anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
5. Temporomandibular (TMJ) problems
Temporomandibular (TMJ) problems may irritate the trigeminal nerve, cause burning mouth syndrome symptoms.
6. Chronic fatigue syndrome
People who suffer from chronic fatigue often suffer from other idiopathic conditions that are hard to direct towards one specific cause.
7. Fibromyalgia
A widespread, chronic pain condition with no clear cause, fibromyalgia affects mostly women. Some think it can also contribute to the development of burning mouth syndrome symptoms.
8. Certain medications
Medications that cause secondary burning mouth syndrome may be those that reduce blood pressure.
Other treatments that cause dry mouth (e.g. radiation or chemotherapy) can trigger secondary burning mouth syndrome as well. This is more of a side effect than a primary syndrome and may easily resolve when the contributing factor is removed (i.e, when radiation treatments are finished).
Do I have burning mouth syndrome? 12 symptoms
The symptoms of burning mouth syndrome may worsen as the day progresses, come and go, or remain steady throughout your waking and sleeping hours.
Other than the painful burning sensation that gives the syndrome its name, here are 12 additional burning mouth syndrome symptoms.
- Dry mouth
- Altered taste
- Loss of taste
- Tingling or numbness
- Stinging
- Sensations on the lips, upper palate, and inside cheeks
- Insomnia or difficulty sleeping
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Burning sensation in the genital area
- Anxiety
- Ringing in the ears
Some patients also report irritable bowel symptoms and heart palpitations.
How long does burning mouth syndrome last?
When secondary burning mouth syndrome is present, the condition often resolves itself when whatever caused it is removed.
For primary burning mouth syndrome, there is no known cure, but most symptoms can be effectively managed. Up to two-thirds of patients will find a measure of relief with consistent treatment within a couple weeks.
For patients with chronic burning mouth syndrome, they may find a stable level of burning mouth syndrome symptoms that they can live with, or they may find that one day the burning disappears.
Burning mouth syndrome treatments
For burning mouth syndrome that is caused by overactive nerves, the first-line treatment is usually medication aimed at reducing nerve activity.
Other treatments include the following:
- Anti-anxiety and antidepressant medications (including clonazepam amitriptyline, nortriptyline doxepin, and gabapentin) for non-chronic burning mouth syndrome
- Alpha lipoic acid
- Topical capsaicin
- Oral rinses with lidocaine
- Vitamin supplements where deficiencies are present
- Treatments for dry mouth (i.e., saliva replacement products)
- Stress relieving practices (e.g., yoga and medication)
- Cognitive behavioral therapy to deal with anxiety and depression
While AZ Dentist may not always be the ultimate healthcare provider for this condition, we can help you recognize the signs and symptoms, providing referrals to doctors who specialize in pain management. Get in touch today for more information.
Leave A Comment