Burning mouth 6 months after tooth extraction

[storm1]

Hi, just after some advice. 6 months ago I had a bottom molar tooth extracted. Bit of a slow healer but dentist said all doing fine. However, I have had constant burning tongue and mouth on the extraction side with only a day here and there free from the pain I did mention it to the dentist 3 months in and a referral was sent but this was rejected. I had a check up at the end of July and all was fine,. I did mention the burning and he wasn't too concerned. I also have what feels like a small hard lump on the inside top of my gums above my top teeth. Is this just normal healing or should I go back to the dentist amd ask that the referral be resubmitted. Thank you for reading.

 

[Gordon]

Burning mouth syndrome is a very unpleasant but sadly poorly understood condition. It's probably not related to your extraction but just coincidental.

There's a couple of things you can do yourself which may help a bit...
1) It's often stress related so if there's anything you can do to lower your stress levels, then that'll help.
2) It can be a sign of low serum folic acid/Vitamin B12, so try boosting the amount of these in your diet. Special K cereal is very rich in this, so have a bowl of that regularly. Legume veggies like broccoli/cauliflower are good too, preferably in a soup so you don't pour out the vitamins in the cooking water.

You'd be looking for a referral to Oral Medicine, which is hard to come by unless you're near a dental hospital.

 

[storm1]

Thank you Gordon. I linked it to the extraction as the BMS is predominantly on that side, and never existed before the extraction. I will give your suggestions a try. Once again thank you.

 

[Gordon]

Good luck, it's a very frustrating thing to have.

Random thought, did you have a lot of antibiotics around the time of the extraction? There can be a link to Candida Albicans infestation, taking a load of wide spectrum antibiotics can let the C. Albicans get established and that can give you burning mouth feelings too...

 

[storm1]

Hi Gordon, one lot of penicillin for 5 days from 30/01. Extraction 19 Feb. It's so strange, can go a week no symptoms then rears its ugly head. I think Stress as you say is a major factor. Thank you.

 

[Gordon]

Nope, just Penicillin wouldn't cause a problem.

Funny thing stress, I once had a lovely lady patient who had really bad BMS (Burning Mouth Syndrome) except in her case, it was lack of stress which was the issue, she'd retired from a really high powered, highly stressful job and we eventually decided that she was getting stressed out from not being stressed

Her BMS would get better when she was organising her big Xmas family get together, or planning other big social events for example.

She finished up taking on a few voluntary roles and got better!