June 12 2010
Put Out The Fire In My Mouth
Many lives and homes have been lost to fires. But if your mouth is on fire and you haven’t dined on hot peppers of late, that’s a completely different thing according to the experts at cosmetic dentist Cleveland.
Although not as disfiguring as a real fire, the burning mouth syndrome – also known as scalded mouth syndrome, burning tongue syndrome, burning lips syndrome, glossodynia and stomatodynia – can be equally painful as well. That’s because the status causes a burning sensation in the tongue, gums, lips, cheeks or the whole mouth.
Cosmetic dentistry Cleveland said the pain can be serious as if you scalded your mouth or there may be little pain that gets worse as the day progresses. This may occur every day and last all day or it may come and go and there may be days when you’re free of pain.
Aside from the pain, other symptoms are a dry or sore mouth, increased thirst, loss of taste or changes in taste.
“Whatever pattern of mouth pain you have, burning mouth syndrome symptoms often last for years before proper diagnosis and treatment. In some cases, though, symptoms may all of a sudden go away on their own or become less frequent. Burning mouth syndrome usually doesn’t cause any noticeable physical changes to your tongue or mouth,” according to the Mayo Clinic.
In most cases, the cause is unknown – a condition known as primary or idiopathic burning mouth syndrome. If the problem is caused by an rudimentary medical problem, it’s called secondary burning mouth syndrome.
Common causes include dry mouth (xerostomia), an oral yeast infection, nerve damage, food allergies or reactions to fragrances, teeth grinding (bruxism), diabetes and the use of dentures.
Your mouth could also “catch fire” from overbrushing of the tongue, the excessive use of mouthwash, too many acidic drinks, hormonal changes following menopause and the use of certain high blood pressure medications.
The condition starts in people aged 50 and above and affects more women than men. Although it begins suddenly, burning mouth syndrome may be triggered by stress and traumatic events. Naturally, if your mouth is painful, you’re in all probability to suffer from depression, insomnia, irritability and a poor social life.
“There’s no one sure way to treat burning mouth syndrome, and solid research on the most expert methods is lacking. Treatment depends on your particular signs and symptoms, as well as any underlying conditions that may be causing your mouth pain. That’s why it’s important to try to speck what’s causing your burning mouth pain. Once any underlying causes are treated, your burning mouth syndrome symptoms should get better,” the Mayo Clinic said.
“If a cause can’t be establish, treatment can be challenging. There’s no known cure for primary burning mouth syndrome. You may need to try several treatment methods before finding one or a combination that is helpful in simplification your mouth pain,” it added.
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