What causes burning mouth?

What causes burning mouth?

Research has revealed that there is a relationship between burning mouth and taste (gustatory) changes. Many people with burning mouth have a loss of bitter taste buds at the tip of the tongue. So someone with normal taste for sweet, sour and salty has a reduced sensitivity for bitter taste. The theory is that taste inhibits pain, but when the ability to taste bitter is lost, pain fibers begin to "fire" spontaneously. This pain is felt as a burning sensation in the mouth.

An infection in the mouth, a deficiency of vitamin B 12, folate, or iron can mimic the sensation of burning mouth.