Burning mouth syndrome is a burning, scalding, or tingling feeling in the mouth that can come back every day for months, even though the mouth usually looks completely normal. It’s hard to treat because there’s nothing to see and no single test confirms it, so treatment starts with finding out whether something else is causing the burning. If a cause turns up, treating it may help the symptoms go away. If not, a dentist or doctor works with you to manage the symptoms, and that can take time.
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What Burning Mouth Syndrome Feels Like
The burning is most often felt on the tongue, especially the tip, sides, and top, but it can also affect the lips, gums, roof of the mouth, throat, or the whole mouth. Mayo Clinic compares it to the feeling of scalding your mouth with a very hot drink.
Other symptoms can include a dry-mouth feeling, a bitter or metallic taste or a loss of taste, and tingling or numbness that comes and goes. The pattern varies: for some people it’s mild on waking and gets worse through the day, for others it lasts all day, and for some it comes and goes. For many people, eating or drinking eases it for a while.
It usually doesn’t cause any visible changes to the tongue or mouth.
Who Gets It
Burning mouth syndrome is uncommon. It’s more common in women, especially after menopause, and in people over 50. A 2022 review of 18 studies, published in the journal Oral Diseases, estimated it affects about 1.7% of the general population, with women over 50 the most affected group. It’s rarely seen before age 30.
Primary and Secondary Burning Mouth Syndrome
The type decides the treatment.
- Secondary burning mouth syndrome is caused by another condition, such as dry mouth, an infection, or a vitamin deficiency. Treating that condition may help the symptoms go away.
- Primary burning mouth syndrome is diagnosed when no cause can be found. Experts believe it’s related to damage to the nerves in the mouth that control pain and taste.
Some clinicians use the name only for primary burning mouth syndrome, when nothing else explains the burning.
What Gets Checked, and by Whom
There’s no single test for burning mouth syndrome, so a dentist or doctor rules out other causes first, and that can take time. These are the conditions most often checked for:
| Possible cause | How it’s usually checked |
|---|---|
| Dry mouth, from certain medicines or health conditions | Questions about your health and medicines; a saliva flow test |
| Oral thrush (a yeast infection), oral lichen planus (an inflammatory condition), or geographic tongue (which gives the tongue a map-like look) | A mouth exam; an oral swab or culture |
| Low iron, zinc, folate, or B vitamins | Blood tests |
| Diabetes or thyroid problems | Blood tests, including blood sugar and thyroid function |
| Acid reflux | Reflux tests |
| Allergies to foods, dental materials, or mouth care products | Allergy tests |
| Certain medicines, especially some blood pressure medicines | A review of everything you take |
| Grinding, clenching, or pushing the tongue against the teeth | A dental exam and questions about your habits |
| A very irritated mouth from brushing the tongue too hard, abrasive toothpaste, overusing mouthwash, or a lot of acidic food and drink | Questions about your oral care and diet |
| Anxiety, depression, or stress | Questions about how you’ve been feeling |
Imaging is sometimes used, and a biopsy is usually only needed if something shows up in the mouth.
A dentist is usually the first stop. The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research’s advice is to talk to your dentist first. At an exam, a dentist looks for dental causes of mouth pain, such as tooth and gum problems, infection, irritation, or signs of grinding, and may ask about your habits and whether you wear dentures. From there, your dentist may refer you for tests such as blood work, allergy testing, imaging, an oral swab, or a saliva test. They may also refer you to a specialist, such as an oral medicine specialist or an ear, nose, and throat doctor, and your dentist and doctor may need to work together.
Everett, WA
Burning in your mouth with no clear cause?
An exam is where the dental causes get checked.
How It’s Treated
Treatment depends on the type. For secondary burning mouth syndrome, the underlying condition is treated. For example, treating a mouth infection or correcting a low vitamin level may relieve the discomfort, which is why finding the cause matters so much.
If one of your medicines could be the cause, don’t stop taking it on your own. Stopping some medicines can be dangerous, and your doctor can decide whether to change it.
Primary burning mouth syndrome has no known cure and no one sure way to treat it. Treatment aims to control the symptoms, often by trying more than one approach, and what works for one person may not work for another. A dentist or doctor may prescribe medicine to help control the pain or relieve dry mouth, and cognitive behavioral therapy is sometimes used to help with the stress and ongoing pain that can come with it.
The research is limited. A 2016 Cochrane review of 23 trials rated the evidence for every treatment it looked at as very low quality, and found there wasn’t enough evidence to support or rule out any of them. Working closely with your dentist and doctor can still help reduce symptoms, even when no cause is found.
In the meantime, ask your dentist or doctor about ways to ease the burning while the cause is found.
How Long Does Burning Mouth Syndrome Last?
It can last months to years. Some cases improve with treatment and time, and some last a long time, so complete relief isn’t always possible. In rare cases, symptoms suddenly go away on their own or become less frequent.
Mouth burning or soreness that won’t go away? Call our Everett dental office to schedule an exam.
When to Get It Checked
See a dentist if your mouth burns for no apparent reason, the burning lasts longer than a few days or gets worse, or it comes with other symptoms like swelling or blisters.
Before the visit, write down your symptoms, including ones that seem unrelated, any major stress or life changes, and every medicine, vitamin, and supplement you take. Your dentist or doctor may ask when it started, whether it’s constant or comes and goes, what makes it better or worse, whether you use tobacco or alcohol or eat a lot of acidic or spicy food, and whether you wear dentures.
At Icon Dental Center in Everett, our general dentists can look for dental causes of the burning at a routine exam.
Common Questions About Burning Mouth Syndrome
Is burning mouth syndrome dangerous?
It isn’t progressive and isn’t known to cause further damage. It can still affect daily life, though: it can make eating harder, get in the way of sleep, and, when it lasts a long time, lead to anxiety or depression.
What can be mistaken for burning mouth syndrome?
Several conditions can make the mouth burn, including dry mouth, oral thrush, geographic tongue, low iron or B vitamins, acid reflux, and allergies. That’s why they’re ruled out before burning mouth syndrome is diagnosed.
What kind of doctor treats burning mouth syndrome?
Start with your dentist. Depending on what they find, they may refer you to an oral medicine, oral surgery, or oral pathology specialist, or to an ear, nose, and throat doctor, and your regular doctor may be involved too.