What causes frequent discomfort in the mouth and burning pain in the tongue?

Some people often feel symptoms such as dry mouth, burning pain, and sour feeling in the mouth, but other than these feelings, there is no other particular discomfort in the body. It’s just that these symptoms keep recurring and cannot be cured, which troubles many patients. Therefore, it is necessary to seek medical treatment in time for these symptoms to avoid causing other diseases and affecting the health of the body. So how do we prevent and treat these symptoms?

What are the oral discomforts associated with burning mouth syndrome?

(1) Burning sensation, hot sensation, pain, numbness, itching, and astringency of the tongue, etc. The most common is burning pain, especially at the tip of the tongue and the front 2 and 3 parts of the tongue, which can extend to any part of the mouth, such as the root of the tongue, upper palate, gums, and the inside of the lips;

(2) Bad taste in the mouth: sour, bitter, salty, sweet, or metallic;

(3) Dryness in the mouth and tongue.

(4) Symptoms recur, sometimes mild and sometimes severe, and last for months or years;

(5) Worrying about cancer may lead to anxiety, insomnia and other psychological abnormalities.

Why does burning mouth syndrome occur?

The cause of the occurrence is still unclear, and it is particularly emphasized that the neuralgia and abnormal sensation are not caused by abnormal changes in the oral structure. That is to say, there is a burning sensation on the tongue but the temperature in the mouth does not increase, there is a sour sensation in the mouth but the acidity in the mouth does not change, and the mouth is dry but the saliva does not decrease significantly. It is an abnormality of sensation.

The symptoms of abnormal sensation described by each patient are not the same. Since burning pain in the tongue is the most common symptom, it is called burning mouth syndrome or glossodynia.

The most likely explanation is that the sensory nerves of the oral and tongue dorsal papillae are dense and more sensitive, or that there is an abnormality in the information transmission of the nerve fibers that control the oral cavity, or that the brain makes abnormal and incorrect judgments about the information transmitted by oral stimulation.

What should I do if I have burning mouth syndrome?

The results of epidemiological surveys show that the cause of burning mouth syndrome is still unclear. When burning mouth symptoms occur due to certain bad living habits, oral diseases or systemic diseases, it is called secondary burning mouth syndrome. The abnormal oral sensation symptoms will improve after changing living habits and treating the underlying disease. Most cases without a clear cause are called primary or idiopathic burning mouth syndrome, and diagnosis and treatment at this time are somewhat difficult.

Find and change possible bad habits in life

(1) Like to eat spicy food, dry and hard food;

(2) Picky eating and partial eating lead to certain nutrient deficiencies;

(3) Excessive smoking and heavy drinking;

(4) Bad habits of repeatedly sticking out the tongue, biting the tip of the tongue, and grinding teeth;

(5) Excessive brushing of teeth, use of irritating toothpaste or mouthwash;

(6) Not liking to drink water or drinking too much carbonated drinks;

(7) Chewing gum for a long time.

Go to the dentist for checkups and treatment of certain oral diseases

Many oral diseases may cause various symptoms of burning mouth, which are common in the following oral diseases:

(1) Dental diseases: inflammation of residual crowns and roots; inflammation of gums;

(2) Dry mouth: Decreased saliva secretion due to age;

(3) Oral infection: fungal infection such as thrush, lichen planus, geographic tongue, grooved tongue and other oral inflammations;

(4) Implant dentures: inadaptability, intolerance or local irritation after installing dentures or artificial teeth;

(5) Temporomandibular joint: temporomandibular joint arthritis.

Go to the internal medicine department for examination and treatment of certain medical diseases

It is currently known that the following diseases may be accompanied by burning mouth symptoms, and the symptoms will be alleviated or improved after conservative treatment.

(1) Digestive diseases: gastroesophageal reflux disease;

(2) Endocrine diseases: diabetes, hypothyroidism;

(3) Autoimmune diseases: Sjögren's syndrome;

(4) Malnutrition: iron, zinc, folic acid, vitamin B deficiency, anemia;

(5) Neurological diseases: cerebrovascular stroke, multiple sclerosis, postherpetic neuralgia, trigeminal neuralgia;

(6) Mental illness: anxiety, depression, insomnia, etc.;

(7) Allergic diseases: to certain foods, health products, seasonings, etc.;

(8) Lung diseases: lung cancer;

(9) Certain medications: antihypertensive drugs, chemotherapy drugs, and anti-anxiety and anti-depressant drugs.

Unexplained burning mouth syndrome is often related to emotions

When dental and internal medicine examinations do not reveal any definite abnormalities and all laboratory test results are normal, the diagnosis is unexplained, primary, or idiopathic burning mouth syndrome, which is more common in women, is often related to emotions, and has the following characteristics:

(1) The incidence of burning mouth syndrome has increased in recent years;

(2) It is more common in women aged 40-60 years old before and after menopause;

(3) Symptoms vary in severity, with milder symptoms in the morning and more severe symptoms in the afternoon;

(4) Worsened by stress, fatigue, excessive talking, or idle time;

(5) The symptoms are alleviated or disappear when working, distracted, or sleeping;

(6) Does not affect eating, eating can relieve burning symptoms;

(7) The disease recurs and lasts for several years, sometimes improving spontaneously.

Studies have found that emotional disturbances and burning mouth syndrome are closely related. The two are mutually causal and aggravate each other, causing the disease to recur and persist.

For those with more introverted personalities, if unpleasant events occur in life, such as loss of job, illness of family members, marital discord, etc., they will experience worry, anxiety, fantasies, unhappiness, depression, insomnia and other symptoms. Negative emotions and increased sensitivity of the patient's body will cause unexplained discomfort symptoms in the mouth, throat, esophagus, gastrointestinal tract and other parts. For example, when the main symptom is burning in the mouth, it can be called burning mouth syndrome, which is often accompanied by pharyngeal paresthesia, reflux esophagitis and other diseases;

The prolonged burning mouth symptoms will inevitably cause some patients to experience mood changes or develop psychological fears of cancer. They will be nervous and uneasy, constantly looking in the mirror and sticking out their tongues to check, fearing that something will grow on their tongues. This will aggravate negative emotions and cause the symptoms to not ease and become increasingly severe. Some patients will experience severe sleep disorders, accompanied by worsening symptoms such as headaches, depression, anxiety, irritability, insomnia, and fear.

Unexplained burning mouth syndrome requires comprehensive treatment

Lifestyle: Avoid eating irritating foods and drinking less carbonated drinks; drink more water and eat more green fruits and vegetables, such as apples and pears, to increase saliva secretion; yoga, exercise, and adequate sleep can alleviate symptoms

Treatment of diseases: Go to the hospital for a physical examination and actively look for the cause of the disease. If oral diseases or systemic diseases are found, the possible underlying diseases should be actively treated.

Adjust your mindset: eliminate bad or negative emotions in a timely manner; cultivate interests and hobbies, participate in entertainment and group activities, distract attention, and relieve emotions. Avoid excessive tongue-sticking self-examination to reduce excessive attention.

Cognitive disease: Although there is no cure, cognitive burning mouth syndrome does not cause cancer and cannot be transmitted to others. Half of the cases will gradually improve within 6-7 years, and 1/5 will be cured without treatment. Patients should adapt to it with a good attitude of "that's how it is" and "don't keep thinking about it".

Drug treatment: If the patient has a full understanding of and can adapt to the symptoms, there is no need for drug treatment. Otherwise, drugs such as Delexin, Prozac, Estazolam, Capsaicin, etc. can be used for treatment. When menopausal symptoms are obvious, take hormone replacement therapy such as nialstradiol and progesterone under the guidance of a doctor;

Traditional Chinese Medicine treatment: It is very helpful to use traditional Chinese medicine for dialectical treatment. Oral Xiaoyao Pills, acupoint injection therapy and acupuncture treatment can all achieve certain therapeutic effects.