Burning Mouth Syndrome
Symptoms of Burning Mouth Syndrome
Do you feel as though your tongue, or parts of your mouth, are stinging or burning, but you didn't burn your mouth? Are you wondering why this feeling won't go away? Do you feel better if you eat or drink something? Do you find yourself over-eating because eating or sipping on something makes your mouth feel better?
Burning Mouth is not contagious, unless it is caused by a bacterial (yeast) or viral (such as herpes) infection, which is unlikely, unless accompanied with a white coating of the tongue and/or sores. It is most common among women of menopausal age (hormonal changes) and with those who thrust their tongues around in their mouths alot, such as when chewing on toothpicks, biting the inside of the cheek (a very bad habit) and pushing the tongue against your teeth.
Causes of Burning Mouth Syndrome
Endocrine dysfunction. Hormone imbalances effect composition of saliva. Candida or Thrush (yeast infection), Anemia, Fluoride (toothpaste and tap water), Alcohol-based products (mouthwash, etc.), Peppermint-based products (or anything with any kind of mint), Digestive disorders (indigestion and acid reflux), Tooth Whiteners or Sodium Laurel Phosphate (the 'sudsing' agent in toothpaste), Highly salted, hot or spicy foods, Acidic beverages, Antibiotics, Neck Injury, Spinal Misalignment, Neurological Disorders, Reduced Blood Flow (to the mouth), Vitamin deficiencies, Allergies (especially chemical), Food Additives, Food Dyes, Excessive Tongue Movement (70% of all cases are due to this), Loss of the ability to taste, Aging, Damage to the Seventh Nerve (the nerve that runs from the tip of the tongue, through the inner ear to the brain), TMJ (2nd most common cause), Cigarette smoke, Menthol, Sjogren's Disease (am autoimmune disorder), Sicca Syndrome (dry mouth and eyes usually associated with menopause or andropause), Geographic Tongue, Diuretics, Yeast infection, Herpes, Anxiety (primarily fear), Irritability and pH Imbalance.
Stress, depression and cancer can be either the cause of BMS or the result.
The most common cause of Dry Mouth is drugs. There are over 1800 drugs that can cause dry mouth and eyes. The most common types of drugs leading to this condition are high blood pressure medications, Trycyclic antidepressants, Central Nervous System Depressants, Lithium, allergy medications, weight loss and pain prescriptions and OTC drugs.
Caffeine dries out the mouth and is found is sodas, tea, coffee, chocolate and some drugs, such as Excedrin. Caffeine is also a diuretic and causes dehydration, another cause of dry mouth. It is also a stimulant, which reduces the supply of serotonin in the brain, leading to stress, which is another cause of dry mouth.
Peroxide in toothpastes and mouth washes.
Tobacco and alcohol dry out the mouth.
Certain autoimmune diseases such as Sjogren's Syndrome, Hodgkin's, HIV/AIDS, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's can be the cause of dry mouth and eyes (and other dry areas of the body).
Fibromyalgia is causes dry mouth, eyes and other dryness problems (breathing airways, intestinal, and vaginal dryness).
Radiation and chemotherapy.
Diabetes and High Blood Pressure.
Nerve damage to head and/or neck that regulates saliva output.
Depression, anxiety and nervousness cause the salivary glands to produce less saliva.
Chewing less than you used to. If for any reason you are not chewing 'tough' foods anymore (like celery, meat, raw carrots, nuts) then the salivary glands decrease in size, producing less lubrication. As we age, we may tend to lean towards eating foods that are gentler on our teeth. This can cause less saliva production, although not so much that it should be a noticeable problem.
Spiritual/Psychological cause of Burning Mouth Syndrome: The inability to taste (experience) the joy of life.
Disorders Related to Burning Mouth Syndrome
Burning Tongue Syndrome and Burning Mouth Syndrome are different. BTS is a term used when the cause for your burning tongue has been established, such as Geographic Tongue, which is caused from acidic burning from foods eaten.
Geographic Tongue is a separate, sometimes, painful condition. Although it is painful, its cause is known, whereas with BMS the cause of the pain is not clear. Your tongue may look like a map, due to some of the hairs (papille) are missing.
White Tongue may be associated with Thrush, which is a Candida overgrowth in the mouth, often causing a white film on the tongue, sometimes sores in the mouth, or on the back and sides of the tongue. It is also different than in the case of having too much stomach acid, which causes raw, painful blisters to form in the mouth.
Dry Mouth Syndrome, which may or may not be a part of Sjogren's Syndrome.
All-Natural Therapies for Dry Mouth Syndrome
Avoid alcohol based mouth rinses, sprays and cough syrup, cigarette smoke, Cinnamon, Peppermint, Sorbic Acid and Benzoic Acid (preservatives) and Propylene glycol, which is a moisturizing agent in foods, drugs and cosmetics. Avoid consuming too many acidic drinks (soft drinks, black tea, citrus juice, etc.).
Eliminate fluoride and tooth whitening toothpaste. You may want to avoid toothpaste all together if you have BMS. Use an all-natural paste, such as Tom's of Maine' Sodium Laurel Phosphate free toothpaste, or use baking soda. Nasty taste, but your teeth will squeak! Don't brush the gums too hard with baking soda.
Brush your teeth, and your tongue, more often.
Floss regularly, everyday, after eating.
Avoid dehydration. Don’t rely on feeling thirsty. The sensation of thirst shuts off when your body knows you are not paying attention to the signal. Sip water while you are eating. There is a lubricant in saliva. Saliva is not just water, but sipping on water helps to wash down your food.
Try a natural saliva solution. It is a solution that is kind of like natural tears for eyes. Colgate sells such a product called Optimoist.
You might consider allergy testing. Allergies to foods, chemicals and additives may also cause symptoms of dryness.
Chiropractic adjustment may help if you also have a stiff neck. Follow my suggestions for Chronic Pain.
Avoid breathing in chemicals (paint thinner, chlorine, pesticides, moth balls, etc.).
Take your dentures out while you are sleeping. If they don't fit well, try to get them refitted so you won't be playing with them with your teeth or irritating your tongue with them.
Don't hold your glasses, pens and pencils with your teeth. This causes a tightening of the face, jaw and throat muscles.
Do you experience a metallic taste in your mouth? This symptom is commonly shared with mouth pain. You may be allergic to some of your dental materials, or have Gingivitis. It may also be your brain assigning a flavor to damaged taste buds due to the damage of the seventh nerve that runs from the tip of your tongue, through your inner ear and to your brain.
Watch your posture. Slouching makes your next extend out, which causes strain in the neck muscles, which can transfer pain in the tongue. Did you know that bad posture is related to feeling burdened and hopeless about changing things?
Find ways to reduce stress. Learn more about bio-feedback. Take The Aura Energy Self-Test.
Use a sore throat drop. It will numb your tongue for awhile and enable you to distract yourself. Do not use anything with Menthol or Peppermint in it. Try Ricola mouth drops.
Stop Thrusting Your Tongue! 70% of all BMS is caused by tongue thrusting! What you are feeling may be referred pain from the tongue muscles! Try not to play with your teeth, or gums, with your tongue. Some people thrust their tongue against their teeth, much like others who grind their teeth or flex the back muscles of the tongue in stress. Find some sugar-free gum (at your health food store) to chew, or chew on ice.
If you think this might be the reason for your Burning Mouth Syndrome, massage the underside of your jaw, especially under your chin and further back, working the massage in an around your esophagus (throat). Sometimes, doing this relieves the burning instantly.
Avoid salty foods, such as chips and pretzels for at least two weeks. Add them back into your diet and check for a reaction.
Rinse mouth with 1 part water and 1 part Capsicum (the ingredient in hot peppers). Capsicum can be found at the health food store. Please, do not swallow it. It may burn your stomach really bad if you are already sensitive anyway. Do not do this at all if you have lesions anywhere in your mouth.
Increase your sense of taste by taking 1 tablespoon of Swedish Bitters per day for two weeks. If burning tongue is caused by lack of gastric acid, this will help as well. If, on the other hand, you have too much acid, this may give you indigestion and you will want to discontinue the herbs.
Drink 3 cups of Sage Tea daily for three weeks for coated tongue, which may be a symptom of digestive or kidney problems. Download the TCL e-book, “Tea, Anyone?”. Also for coated tongue, rinse your mouth every 2 hours with Chamomile tea made from the blossoms, not tea bags.
Burning Tongue Syndrome can be caused by a chronic deficiency of gastric acid. Taking bitter herbs can trigger the flow of stomach juices. Take as directed. You might also try swallowing organic apple cider vinegar, not more than 1 TB, to see if it reduces your indigestion.
For pain, take 20-30 drops of Echinacea 3 x per day. It has a numbing effect on the tongue.
Supplements for Burning Mouth Syndrome
Vitamin B complex - 50 mg 3 times per day.
Vitamin C with Bioflavonoids - 1000 mg per day.
Vitamin A - No more than 8,000 IU (avoid during pregnancy).
Vitamin E with mixed Tocopherols - 400 mg per day
Folic Acid, with B-12 and Vitamin C.
You might also try:
Iron - 60 mg. per day (only with doctor permission!)
B-12 - 1,000 mcg dissolved under tongue daily
Folic Acid - 800mcg daily
Zinc - 50 mg daily.
Other BMS Considerations...
Dental Work
Dr. Miriam Grushka, an associate professor of dentistry at Case Western Reserve University, is concerned that some dental procedures could have an impact on the nerves in the mouth that may cause phantom pain. TMJ is described, by those who suffer from it, as face, jaw and/or ear pain that originates from a misalignment of the jaw. It can cause headaches and clicking, or popping, of the jaw hinges. Sometimes the jaw can become stuck open. For example, if you have TMJ, you may not be able to bite into apples without having trouble opening or closing your mouth normally. This 'trouble' with the jaw can begin after having to hold your mouth open for long periods of time in the dental chair. It can cause Burning Mouth Syndrome! I know this from experience. You might want to consult your dentist if you suspect this may be a problem for you. Chiropractors can also help with TMJ. TMJ may also be a cause of Tinnitus. View the TCL TMS & MPS web page for more on muscle imbalances of this nature.
Pain Phantoms
Dr. Linda Bartoshuk, an experimental psychologist at Yale Medical School, believes persons suffering from BMS are actually experiencing pain phantoms much like someone who has had a limb removed. She says that our sense of taste normally inhibits pain from the tongue. When taste buds are damaged and dysfunctional, the brain gets a false message thinking it has received a message of pain from the tongue. The metallic taste in the mouth, often associated with BMS, is in fact the result of damaged nerves, with the brain creating this sense of taste much the way an amputee still feels an arm that is missing.
Dr. Miriam Grushka, an associate professor of dentistry at Case Western reserve University, discovered a relationship between BMS and some connective tissue disorders, including rhuematoid arthritis, Sjogren's disease and lupus. She is concerned that some dental procedures could have an impact on the mouth leading to phantom pain. Damage to the 7th nerve (the nerve at the tip of the tongue) can cause BMS.
What Doctors are Doing
Doctors are prescribing Clonazepam (an anticonvulsant) for BMS. Symptoms appear to be gone within 24 hours in up to 70% of individuals. Relief with this medication may be found, but the side effects may not be worth it. It may interest you to know that this is one of the drugs also used for Tinnitus.
May Love & Energy Be Yours!
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