The mystery of burnt mouth syndrome

It is estimated that burnt mouth syndrome has affected almost one million people, yet the causes are still largely unknown. Dental experts have come up with several possible contributors to burnt mouth syndrome, which include psychological issues such as stress or anxiety, as well as allergies to the materials used in restorative dentistry; however, several patients have received a range of different advice from different experts, confirming the belief that the exact causes of burnt mouth syndrome remain shrouded in mystery.

The most commonly affected patients seem to be post-menopausal women, although research has failed to find a definite reason for the correlation between the two factors. The syndrome can be mild, which can cause patients to experience a mild burning sensation in their mouth occasionally; however, many of the more serious cases have dramatically impacted upon the lives of the patients disrupting both their work and social lives and causing them to feel extreme pain and discomfort.

Several dental experts have linked the condition to a reaction to the substances used in restorative dentistry; these theories commonly relate to materials including nickel, palladium and mercury; however, no formal research has been conducted to approve this theory and most dentists believe these materials to be safe and subsequently continue to use them frequently in their practice.
Other suggestions have included a correlation between burnt mouth syndrome and psychological conditions such as stress, depression and anxiety; however, this has also not been confirmed by studies and several experts remain sceptical with regard to the validity of this theory.

For the moment it seems dental experts and health professionals are divided on this matter; however, in light of the number of cases of burnt mouth syndrome, plans have been revealed to try and reduce the incidence by providing more thorough means of testing for allergies and monitoring psychological health.

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