Tongue discomfort includes both pain and burning sensations, often caused by irritation. The most common causes of tongue discomfort are Certain foods, especially acidic ones (eg, pineapple) Certain ingredients
in toothpaste, mouthwash, candy, or gum Certain drugs (commonly, those that cause dry mouth:
antihistamines
Treatment Allergic (including atopic) and other hypersensitivity disorders are inappropriate or exaggerated immune reactions to foreign antigens. Inappropriate immune reactions include those that are... read more ,
antipsychotics
Treatment Schizophrenia is characterized by psychosis (loss of contact with reality), hallucinations (false perceptions), delusions (false beliefs), disorganized speech and behavior, flattened affect... read more ,
tricyclic antidepressants;
Heterocyclic Antidepressants Several drug classes and drugs can be used to treat depression: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) Serotonin modulators (5-HT2 blockers) Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors... read more less commonly, angiotensin-converting enzyme
inhibitors, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or chemotherapeutic agents such as methotrexate, bleomycin, 5-fluorouracil) Other causes of tongue discomfort include
Atrophic glossitis sometimes causes a burning sensation of the tongue; it has many causes, including deficiency of iron Iron Deficiency Iron (Fe) is a component of hemoglobin, myoglobin, and many enzymes in the body. Heme iron is contained mainly in animal products. It is absorbed much better than nonheme iron (eg, in plants... read more or vitamin B12 Vitamin B12 Deficiency Dietary vitamin B12 deficiency usually results from inadequate absorption, but deficiency can develop in vegans who do not take vitamin supplements. Deficiency causes megaloblastic anemia, damage... read more and dry mouth (xerostomia Xerostomia Xerostomia is dry mouth caused by reduced or absent flow of saliva. This condition can result in discomfort, interfere with speech and swallowing, make wearing dentures difficult, cause halitosis... read more ). Burning mouth syndrome Burning Mouth Syndrome Burning mouth syndrome is a chronic condition of burning intraoral pain, usually involving the tongue, in the absence of an identified cause. There are no physical signs or specific diagnostic... read more causes no visible signs, but patients have burning pain and paresthesia of the tongue, usually, and of the mouth and lips. Tongue discomfort not caused by infection is usually treated by eliminating the cause (eg, changing brands of toothpaste, particularly to a brand that does not contain sodium lauryl sulfate), avoiding irritating/acidic/spicy foods, or having a sharp or broken tooth repaired. Warm salt-water rinses may help. Identified underlying conditions are treated. Copyright © 2022 Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA and its affiliates. All rights reserved. Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is a benign condition that presents as a burning sensation in the absence of any obvious findings in the mouth and in the absence of abnormal blood tests. BMS affects around 2% of the population with women being up to seven times more likely to be diagnosed than men. Female patients are predominately post-menopausal, although men and pre/peri-menopausal women may also be affected. For most patients, burning is experienced on the tip and sides of the tongue, top of the tongue, roof of the mouth, and the inside surface of the lips, although the pattern is highly variable and burning may occur anywhere in the mouth. A patient may feel he/she has burnt the mouth with hot food and there may be a sour, bitter, or metallic taste in the mouth. The mouth may also feel dry and food may have less flavor. Some patients may also report a “draining” or “crawling” sensation in the mouth. The onset of BMS is usually gradual with no known precipitating factor or event. Three clinical patterns have been well characterized:
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT BURNING MOUTH SYNDROME Q: What causes BMS? Q: How do we know it is BMS? Q: What is the prognosis of BMS? Q: How is BMS treated? These medications include clonazepam either as a mouth rinse or in dissolvable wafer or pill form. Others include amitriptyline, nortriptyline doxepin and gabapentin. These medications can cause drowsiness and dry mouth but they are usually taken at night and this may help you to sleep. However, be careful because you may run the risk of falling, especially if you are already taking other medications with a similar side effect. Please do not drink alcohol or drive after taking these medications. Over-the-counter medications such as alpha lipoic acid may be useful as well as topical capsaicin. Because BMS is a chronic problem, non-pharmacologic approaches to management used alone or in addition to the above medications may be helpful. These include stress management/reduction, meditation, yoga, exercise, psychotherapy and cognitive behavioral therapy.. If stress, anxiety and/or depression are contributing to BMS, regular use of these techniques or regular counseling may help to reduce symptoms and keep drug dosages low. With any therapy for BMS, it may take several weeks or even months before maximum benefits are achieved. Prepared by N. Treister, SB Woo and the AAOM Web Writing Group The information contained in this monograph is for educational purposes only. This information is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have or suspect you may have a health concern, consult your professional health care provider. Reliance on any information provided in this monograph is solely at your own risk. What causes burning tongue at night?Reflux of stomach acid (gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD) that enters your mouth from your stomach. Certain medications, particularly high blood pressure medications. Oral habits, such as tongue thrusting, biting the tip of the tongue and teeth grinding (bruxism)
What can cause your tongue to feel like it is burning?What are the causes of a burning tongue?. allergies to specific foods or dental products.. anxiety or depression.. diabetes.. dry mouth.. gastroesophageal reflux disease.. menopause.. geographic tongue.. an underactive thyroid, called hypothyroidism.. |