Causes of burning mouth syndrome

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Causes of burning mouth syndrome

Burning mouth syndrome causes severe burning sensation inside the mouth. The pain resulting from this disorder is likely to affect your tongue, gums, inner cheeks, lips and mouth top.Scalded mouth syndrome, burning tongue syndrome, stomatodynia, burning lips syndrome and glossodynia are the other names by which this disorder is called. The treatment of burning mouth syndrome is difficult to be made, as its root cause is hard to be diagnosed.

The burning feel of pain that is experienced inside the mouth is the main symptom of this syndrome. You may also get a numb feeling on your tongue tip. As the day advances, the pain increases. You will feel extremely thirsty and your tongue will also not register any tastes. In extreme case, you will feel everything that is kept on your tongue to be sour and bitter.

Nutritional deficiency is found to be a main cause of this disorder. If due to nutritional deficiency, the syndrome is called secondary burning mouth syndrome. Deficiency of vitamins and minerals such as iron, zinc, folate, thiamine, riboflavin, pyridoxine and cobalamin leads to burning mouth. Primary burning mouth syndrome relates to irregularities with taste and sensory nerves of the central or peripheral nervous system. Other problems that lead to burning mouth syndrome are dry mouth, oral yeast infection, psychological factors, dentures, gastroesophageal reflux disease, endocrine disorders etc. Dry mouth is also caused as a side effect of many other medications. Psychological reasons include increased anxiety, stress, worry, depression etc. Reactions to certain food materials, additives and flavourings can also lead to this disorder. Dentures exert stress on certain muscles and tissues of your mouth and thereby result in burning mouth. Medications prescribed to bring down extreme blood pressure called angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors also can be a reason for burning mouth syndrome. Gastroesophageal reflux is yet another cause. This refers to the condition in which stomach acid enters the mouth from upper gastrointestinal tract.

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