Burning Mouth Syndrome

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Burning Mouth Syndrome
July 01, 2007 by Jaleh

How do you feel after sipping on a drink that is burning hot? The sensations of a hot drink can last for hours and possible for a few days. Imagine having this same sensation continuously for years. There are actually people who have this horrible sensation. The name of this condition is called, burning mouth syndrome. According to Miriam Grushka, DDS, PhD, an associate professor of oral medicine at University of Illinois in Chicago, "It's defined as a constant burning sensation in the mouth that's usually present in the tongue and often on the palate, but it can be anywhere. It often starts suddenly and then it can continue for months or years." Through research I have discovered what causes burning mouth syndrome, who gets the syndrome and what can help burning mouth syndrome.

There is nothing in particular that causes burning mouth syndrome. Research has discovered that there are changes that occur with the taste buds. The loss of bitter taste which is located on the tip of the tongue is the change that researches have noticed in patients. Dr. Linda Bartoshuk from Yale University states, "That taste inhibits pain and, if there's a problem with taste (like loss of bitter taste at the tip of the tongue), there's a loss of inhibition of the pain fibers, so someone spontaneously begins to produce pain. And the pain is interpreted as burning mouth pain."

Anyone can get burning mouth syndrome. However research reveals that women after menopause are most likely to have the burning mouth syndrome. The reason menopausal women are more likely to have the burning mouth syndrome is because there is a decrease in their estrogen level which causes them to loose their bitter taste buds. Other factors that can make a person susceptible to the burning mouth syndrome are underlying medical condition such as diabetes, anxiety, depression and a vitamin deficiency of iron, B12 or folate.

There is not a specific drug that cures the burning mouth syndrome. People have used various ways to deal with their burning mouth syndrome. Some examples are ice cubes and chewing gum. A drug that has been helpful and has healed some people is called, Klonopin. For some patients there
have been other combinations of medication that has helped them. Some people have had it for years and then one day the burn mouth syndrome disappeared. Researches think this is probably due to the taste buds have regenerating.

Christine Haan, "On the Tip of the Tongue: Explanations for Burning Mouth Syndrome " Sacramento Bee URL:(http://sacbee.healthology.com/dental-health/dental-health-information/article348.htm)

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