Burning mouth syndrome is a poorly understood mouth discomfort and mainly affects your tongue and the palate. Although BMS is tricky to treat, it’s possible to manage the symptoms. Hence, let’s learn more about BMS’s symptoms, causes, and potential treatment options.
What Are Burning Mouth Syndrome’s Symptoms:
As the name suggests, the condition is accompanied by a burning sensation in your mouth, the intensity of which is affected by the severity of BMS. Individuals with a mild form of BMS complain about pain similar to drinking or eating something hot. On the other hand, severe BMS is described by a scalding sensation and extreme pain. Other symptoms of BMS include a loss of taste or altered taste in the mouth to something bitter and metallic. The discomfort caused by BMS may hinder regular food intake. However, some individuals reported temporary relief after eating and drinking.
BMS can trouble you in several patterns, such as:
- Waking up with no discomfort, but as the day progresses, symptoms become worse.
- Symptoms that last during the day.
- Sporadic episodes.
These BMS patterns may last for weeks or months. In some cases, the BMS can linger around for years, which makes BMS management and treatment more crucial. In some rare scenarios, the BMS strikes, and then all of a sudden, symptoms disappear.
Causes Of BMS:
Primary Cause: Nerve damage is to blame when BMS is not related to an underlying cause. Many researchers believe the injury to nerve endings in the mouth can cause BMS.
Secondary Cause: Most of the time, BMS can be linked to an underlying cause, such as:
- strong>Dry Mouth: It happens when the saliva concentration in your mouth droops.
Food Allergies. - Nutritional Deficiencies: Deficiencies of essential minerals like zinc and iron and of vitamins like B12 can also contribute to BMS.
- Oral Infection: Oral fungal infection can cause symptoms identical to BMS.
- Acid Reflux: Churning up of stomach acid back into the mouth.
- Medications: BMS can be a side effect of your current medications.
Treating And Managing BMS:
With so many causes of BMS, it’s difficult for dentists to pin down the exact cause until they have conducted conclusive tests. These tests eliminate possible causes. Hence, helping in narrowing down the treatment for BMS.
Treating BMS often includes addressing the underlying cause by:
- Saliva Alternative
- Nutritional Supplements
- Antacids or acid blockers
- Revising your medical prescription.
- Antifungals
Until the diagnosis yields a conclusive result, your dentist might recommend some things to manage your BMS.
- Sucking on ice.
- Keeping hydrated.
- Pain killers.
- Applying Honey.
- Avoiding Spicy and Acidic Foods.
- Topical Application Of Pain Relieving Creams.
- Practicing stress management.
- Changing your toothpaste.
- Making dietary changes.
Conclusion:
BMS is an uncommon condition and a misunderstood one. Hence, if you suspect that you might be suffering from burning mouth syndrome, reach out to a capable dentist as soon as possible. Work closely with your dentist to help them pin down the exact causes. You can rely on Brookshire Family Dental for all your needs, call us at 281-934-1010 for more inquiries.