Ask an Expert: Burning Mouth Syndrome

Dental and Oral Health (Adults)

Burning Mouth Syndrome
09/19/2006

Question:

I am a 64 yr old male with Burning Mouth Syndrome (tongue only). Ive been to my dentist, my GP, an ENT and a dental surgeon. No one can do anything but shrug their shoulders and say live with it. The pain is driving me crazy. Is there any other type of doctor that would have an understanding of this problem and be able to help me in some way? I get some relief by constantly chewing on sugar free gum, but when I stop chewing the pain gets worse.

Answer:

Burning Tongue Syndrome is not well understood. It occurs most frequently in post-menopausal females but does occur infrequently in males. It is possible that a painful tongue can be caused by dry mouth. You did not say what types of medications you may be taking. If their side effects are dry mouth, it would be good to increase the amount of water you are drinking. This seems to help in many cases.

As a side comment, if you are having dry mouth, it would also be a good idea to rinse daily with an over-the-counter fluoride rinse like ACT. If you truly have Burning Tongue Syndrome, there are no medications that will cure it. There are some rinses that can alleviate the pain.

I would recommend visiting an oral pathologist if there is one available in your area. They can confirm the diagnosis and help find a regimen that will give you some relief.

Related Resources:

Burning Mouth Syndrome
Find a Dentist (American Dental Association)

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Response by:

D Stanley Sharples, DDS
Assistant Professor, Clinical
Section of Primary Care
College of Dentistry
The Ohio State University