What is burning mouth?

What is burning mouth?

Burning mouth is a sensation of burning in the tongue and often of the palate (the roof of the mouth); however, it may also occur anywhere in the mouth or throat. It starts "out of the blue" for no apparent reason and persists for months or even years. The sensation is commonly described as the discomfort felt when the tongue is burned with hot coffee.

Most people find that the burning sensation gets worse through the day. The mouth may feel fine in the morning, only to develop burning in the evening. Once asleep, the pain seems to lessen. The next morning the cycle recurs.

A metallic taste or bitter taste often occurs at the same time as the burning sensation. The feeling of a dry mouth sensation is commonly reported; however, an exam of the lining of the mouth almost always reveals normal saliva flow. At times, the burning pain may be very severe and lead to depression and anxiety from the chronic pain.