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/or lips and in the absence of abnormal clinical diagnostic testing. 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 taste distortions (dysgeusia) with a sour, bitter, or metallic taste in the mouth. The mouth may also feel dry (including decreased saliva secretion) 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:
No one really knows what causes BMS. However, it is believed to be a form of neuropathic pain. This means that nerve fibers in the mouth, for now, are functioning abnormally and transmitting pain despite the fact that there is no painful stimulus. It has been suggested that the nerves in the mouth that are responsible for feeling pain are easily stimulated and excited. Contributing factors may include menopause (although we do not know why), adverse life events (loss of job, death of family member or spouse), psychiatric disorders (such as anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder), TMJ problems, dry mouth (xerostomia), chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia. Some patients will also report trouble going to sleep and staying asleep throughout the night. Some patients may report other symptoms such as headache, fatigue, shoulder pain, back pain, irritable bowel syndrome, burning of the skin or genital area, panic attacks, palpitations and ringing in the ears. BMS is not caused by dentures or infections although wearing dentures sometimes makes the burning worse. In general, hormone replacement therapy is not effective in managing BMS in post-menopausal women.
There are many oral inflammatory conditions that may cause burning in the mouth such as lichen planus, geographic tongue and yeast infections (especially if you wear dentures). If a patient has these conditions and burning symptoms, treatment for the specific conditions will generally get rid of the burning symptoms and as such, should not be diagnosed as having burning mouth syndrome. It is important to have an experienced physician as in our Smell and Taste clinic to rule out any other potential causes of burning or discomfort that may include oral mucosal diseases, infections, peripheral neuropathy (nerve damage), dry mouth and dental pathology among many others.
One-half to two-thirds of patients will experience at least a partial improvement in symptoms within a few weeks to a few months of treatment. For those with long-term symptoms (that may last 6-7 years or longer), the intensity of burning tends to remain fairly stable at a manageable level, although some patients will return to normal without any residual burning. Patients who experience improvement with treatment can expect good control for years. There is no association of BMS with development of oral cancer.
There is no cure for BMS. However, in most cases (greater than 70%), the discomfort can be alleviated using a variety of medications, many of which are used to treat anxiety, depression, and other neurologic disorders although at lower doses. The medications help to reduce the activity of nerve fibers. Since many patients also have difficulty sleeping and experience anxiety, these medications may help you to sleep and rest better, and feel less anxious. These drugs are sometimes used as individual agents or in combination to achieve the desired benefit. It is important to note that patient with BMS symptoms can suffer from a significant weight loss
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.
AllergyCorp Group Smell and Taste Clinic for many years has had great success in the implementation of specific nerve blocks of the mouth nerves in the diagnosis and treatment of the BMS. The specific nerve blocks can diagnose with certainty if the BMS symptoms are related to peripheral neuropathy (mouth nerves) or brain (CNS) involvement. The nerve blocks can have complete short (hours, days) or long (weeks, months) term relief of BMS symptoms. If you are concerned about BMS, the doctors at AllergyCorp Group can help. AllergyCorp Group has access to the latest diagnostics and treatments, and we offer convenient access to Smell and Taste Clinic in Wilmington and Whiteville. We see adult and pediatric (5 yrs and older) patients. To make an appointment, call us at 910-399-2882 for Wilmington or 910-207-6520 for Whiteville clinic.