Burning mouth syndrome is an unusual condition that sometimes mystifies doctors and can be very frustrating and difficult for those affected. It can also be called burning lips or burning tongue. Scientific names for the condition include stomatodynia and glossodynia.

Symptoms of burning mouth syndrome may affect various parts of the mouth or the whole mouth. Areas affected can include the lips, tongue, palate, and/or throat and these may all exhibit a burning pain. The mouth can feel very dry, and may have a slight metallic taste. Some people lose all or part of their sense of taste. Other symptoms can include pain that worsens as the day progresses, pain especially at the tip of the tongue, and extra thirst. The condition can last for years but be characterized by periods of remission.

Cause can be hard to pinpoint but may result from dry mouth, as might be caused by taking certain medications regularly, nutritional deficits, low thyroid or other hormonal disorders, over brushing and sometimes by yeast infections. Occasionally conditions like depression or anxiety create burning mouth syndrome. When an underlying condition is the cause burning mouth syndrome is called secondary, but when no underlying conditions are found responsible it may be called primary burning mouth syndrome.


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