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- $Unique_ID{BRK02380}
- $Pretitle{}
- $Title{What Is Causing the Burning Sensation In My Mouth?}
- $Subject{mouth tongue fire burning glossopyrosis teeth firey burn sensation
- sense senses hot spicy food foods psychogenic glossitis sensations}
- $Volume{I-11}
- $Log{}
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- Copyright (c) 1992,1993 Tribune Media Services, Inc.
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- What Is Causing the Burning Sensation In My Mouth?
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- QUESTION: What can you do for me? I have had the same complaint for several
- months, but my doctors can't find the answer. It is my mouth and tongue; they
- feel like they are on fire. I sometimes have to try to eat without my teeth
- in because the burning is so bad. Please try to help me.
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- ANSWER: The name of your condition (which won't be much help) is
- "glossopyrosis" and it can be a difficult problem to solve. It may be caused
- by a number of situations, but in many cases, no real cause is evident. First
- things first. You deserve a complete examination of your mouth and teeth.
- Irregularities or damage to your dentures may be the trouble. You may be
- experiencing a reaction to your mouthwash, or denture adhesives. Change them
- one at a time to try to identify the possible culprit. Can you link the pain
- to any particular food? If you find your mouth burning more after a certain
- meal, think back over all the possibilities for certain foods or beverages can
- trigger the burning sensation. The next best bet may be in the medications
- you are currently taking. Did you start any one of them about the time the
- burning started?
- I am sure your doctor has already run a number of blood tests to rule out
- the possibility of pernicious anemia, vitamin B complex deficiency, diabetes,
- or iron deficiency anemia. Each of these conditions can be associated with a
- burning mouth, and each have a solution. Correcting the problem corrects the
- burning.
- If the burning condition remains when all of these possibilities have
- been explored and remedies fail, there is one other possibility mentioned in
- the textbooks. That is a concern that the problem may be due to some
- psychogenic or mental cause. Often burning tongue may be found in people with
- insomnia or depression. In that case, certain medication may prove useful in
- correcting not only the depression, but the burning mouth as well.
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- The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace
- the counsel and advice of your personal physician. Promptly consulting your
- doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
- problem.
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