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Most of us have, at some time or the other, felt like our mouth is on fire, usually after having eaten something hot and spicy. The burning mouth syndrome, which leads to irritation and pain in the mouth, can be caused by a number of reasons ranging from nutritional deficiencies, allergies to certain foods or medication, medical conditions, hormonal changes during pregnancy and menopause to something as simple as a dry mouth. It is however, not a symptom of cancer.
Many elderly people complain of the burning mouth syndrome. It is important to first isolate the probable cause of the burning mouth syndrome before trying to treat it. There are some food products and flavorings that cause burning mouth - food coloring agents such as tartazine, and additives like cinnamic aldehyde apart from hot and spicy foods such as peppers, chilies and so on.
Surprisingly excessive consumption of menthol and peppermint, which are normally considered as cooling agents, can also lead to burning mouth syndrome. You should thus avoid using mouthwashes with menthol or peppermint as well as flavored candies, mints and chewing gums. Apart from these products you should also avoid chewing tobacco and drinking alcohol which leads to dehydration. Medicinal sprays used to treat lung problems can also lead to burning mouth.
You should check if the medication you are taking is leading to yeast overgrowth in the mouth since that also causes burning mouth syndrome.
If your mouth is extremely dry, due to ingestion of heavy medications, viral infections or other medical conditions which leave the mouth dry, radiation therapy around and above the neck and old age, then you should constantly hydrate your mouth by drinking plenty of water. Lemon is known to stimulate production of saliva but it can also irritate the mouth if it is already burning, so you could try applying glycerin swabs to soothe the burning and stimulate saliva production. Brush your teeth with baking soda and water to increase the production and flow of saliva in the mouth. Since nutritional deficiencies can lead to the burning mouth syndrome, you should ensure that you have a healthy and balanced diet with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, juices and water rich in vitamins and minerals. You should increase your consumption of Vitamin B, folic acid, Zinc and Iron since these are essential to avoid the burning mouth syndrome. Burning mouth syndrome is not indicative of any other serious medical conditions so it can often be treated by a simple change in diet and habits.
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