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How Is Burning Mouth or Burning Tongue Syndrome Diagnosed
When you seek the help of a doctor, you will receive an oral exam
and will need to describe your oral habits and care routine –
right down to the strength of the bristles on your toothbrush, so
be prepared.
Most likely the doctor will want to take a complete blood cell
count to look for infections or anemia. The blood will also be checked
for nutritional deficiencies and for diabetes. In many cases a full
round of allergy tests are also administered. If the doctor suspects
thrush is the cause of your burning mouth syndrome, expect an oral
swab to determine which fungus is growing out of control.
As daunting as it may sound, since BMS is so hard to pin to any
one condition, you may, in the course of your diagnosis, see any
one or all of the following medical professionals: a dermatologist,
dentist, psychiatrist, psychologist, or an ENT (ear, nose, and throat.)
What Treatments Are Available?
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The treatment of burning tongue syndrome is highly individualistic.
If your burning mouth is associated with dry mouth which is in turn
linked to a specific medication, simply changing the prescription
may be the only solution necessary. For nutritional deficiencies,
supplements can be used. An outbreak of thrush responds to oral antifungals
such as Mycostatin or Diflucan. If it’s your dentures, you can
improve your care regimen or have the appliance adjusted.
Unfortunately, however, these kind of easy fixes only work in a
few cases. Psychological conditions involving stress and anxiety
can respond to antidepressants, but antidepressants contribute to
dry mouth, and dry mouth contributes to burning mouth. Many times
people who have burning mouth as a result of a psychological problem
may face outbreaks of the condition throughout their lifetime.
Essentially, treating burning mouth syndrome involves identifying
an underlying cause and treating it to remove the BMS sensations.
This is never an easy task because all too often it is impossible
to figure out what is causing the oral inflammation.
When Should I Talk to a Doctor?
A good rule of thumb with any condition is to seek the advice of a
physician when the irritation does not respond to home remedies or
to the simple passage of time. If the problem continues after several
days and you are dealing with persistent pain, soreness, and irritation
of the gums your symptoms should be evaluated by a doctor.
How Can I Prevent Burning Mouth?
In general, you should avoid any irritation to the tissues in the
mouth. This can include obsessive brushing of the teeth and the over
use of mouthwash. Also avoid drinks with a high acid content. Quit
smoking. Unfortunately, an outbreak of burning mouth may be completely
beyond your control.
In the absence of an identifiable and treatable underlying condition,
it is all too often true that someone suffering with a persistent
case of burning mouth syndrome (also known as burning tongue syndrome)
may simply have to learn to live with the condition.
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