Searing Mouth Sensation: Understanding Its Origin and Potential Benefits.
Feels like a constant fire: If your tongue is giving you trouble for hours on end, it's hard to focus on anything else. Medical professionals refer to this tongue discomfort as glossodynia. Generally, the front part of the tongue, along with its edges and tip, are affected, as per the Initiative ProDente. Sometimes, the discomfort can even spread to the roof of the mouth, cheeks, and the mucous membranes inside the mouth. This is then called the burning mouth syndrome.
It's not just about the heat: The taste you perceive can also change. You might constantly taste something metallic or bitter on your tongue, according to ProDente. Dry mouth and an unpleasant mouth odor can also accompany this tongue discomfort.
Potential reasons for tongue discomfort
Women going through middle and menopause are particularly susceptible. The Initiative ProDente suggests that about one in six women experience these symptoms during and after menopause. Possible reasons: The hormonal shifts and stress of menopause could be contributing factors.
However, there could be many reasons for this discomfort. For instance, the sharp edges of dental prosthetics might be irritating the mucous membranes. Other potential causes include a congenital problem with the salivary glands, a fungal infection, herpes, certain medications, or psychiatric conditions like depression or schizophrenia.
There's also a possibility that the body is lacking essential vitamins or minerals - for example, vitamin B12, vitamin C, folic acid, or iron. Or perhaps there's an allergy to an ingredient in your toothpaste or mouthwash.
Where to seek help
Given the numerous potential causes of tongue discomfort, it's a good idea to start with your primary care physician, advises ProDente. They have a deep understanding of your medical history, any underlying conditions, medications you're taking, and potential allergies. This might help point to a possible cause and potential treatment.
Subsequently, a specialist in dentistry, psychosomatic medicine, ear, nose, and throat medicine, or dermatology might be able to provide more specific insights.
What you can do yourself
If your mouth is regularly burning, avoid anything that might further irritate your mouth's mucous membranes. This includes spicy and sour foods, along with alcohol and nicotine.
Mild mouthwashes, such as those containing sage or chamomile, can soothe the discomfort. Drinking more water can help with dry mouth. Chewing sugar-free gum can also stimulate saliva production and alleviate dryness.
Given that the mind often plays a role, managing stress and psychological burdens can be helpful, though achieving this can sometimes be challenging.
[Image of a neon sign reading "Burning Tongue Syndrome" with a question mark above it][Image of a woman with a frowny face holding her tongue programmatically][Header: "Burning Tongue Syndrome - Symptoms, Causes and Treatment"][Link to an article titled "How to find relief from burning tongue syndrome"][Highlighted text: "Did you know? Burning tongue syndrome affects about 0.6% to 7% of the global population."][Image of a person smiling while sipping a glass of water]
In a question-and-answer session, someone might ask, "What could be the causes of burning tongue syndrome?" To which the response could be, "There are various potential causes, such as hormonal shifts during menopause, dental prosthetics, fungal infections, certain medications, psychiatric conditions, vitamin or mineral deficiencies, or allergies to toothpaste or mouthwash ingredients."
After visiting several medical professionals, a patient might ask, "What type of specialist should I consult next for my burning tongue syndrome?" The appropriate response could be, "Depending on the specifics of your case, you might want to consider consulting a specialist in dentistry, psychosomatic medicine, ear, nose, and throat medicine, or dermatology for more specialized insights."
