Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is a burning sensation on your tongue, roof of your mouth or lips. It can happen anywhere in your mouth or throat. BMS often starts seemingly out of nowhere. It may feel like your tongue is being burned by a hot liquid like coffee.
People with BMS often report that the burning worsens throughout the day. Your mouth may feel OK when you wake up but develop a burning feeling later in the day. Once asleep, the pain may improve. The next day the cycle begins again.
A bitter or metallic taste often happens along with the burning feeling. Many people also feel a dry mouth despite having regular saliva flow. Sometimes, the burning is so severe that the chronic pain causes depression and anxiety.
What are the symptoms of burning mouth?
Burning mouth syndrome symptoms include:
Pain in your mouth that feels like tingling, scalding or burning.
You may find that sucking on ice chips or chewing gum helps with the discomfort. Topical or systemic clonazepam, a prescription medication, may also relieve the pain.
How is burning mouth treated?
For burning mouth syndrome treatment, some medications can help. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) hasn’t approved these drugs specifically for BMS, but your healthcare provider may prescribe them to help the symptoms. These medications include:
Gabapentin (a medicine used for seizures and herpes pain).
Your healthcare provider can help figure out which medications that may be most effective for you. If oral problems (like teeth grinding or jaw clenching) cause BMS, your dentist can help correct the issue. If an underlying condition causes BMS, treating that condition should help cure your burning mouth symptoms. You may need to switch medications to find the best one for you.
How is burning mouth syndrome diagnosed?
BMS is challenging to diagnose. Part of diagnosing BMS is ruling out other conditions that can cause similar symptoms, such as an oral yeast infection (thrush).
If you have symptoms, see your dentist first. Oral health problems cause one-third of all BMS cases. If needed, your dentist may refer you to a specialist.
To confirm a diagnosis, your healthcare provider may perform:
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