What Is Burning Mouth Syndrome? A Functional Medicine Expert Explains

While this condition's cause and treatment might be elusive, functional medicine practitioners are beginning to peel back the layers of this increasingly pervasive health problem. If you have ever wondered what burning mouth syndrome is or are currently suffering from it yourself, let's take a look at what's going on.

Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is exactly what it sounds like: A burning sensation throughout the entire mouth, similar to the feeling of being scalded with hot water. 

This insidious condition tends to appear out of nowhere and can take many forms: very little pain that gradually increases as the day goes on, pain that ebbs and flows throughout the day, or pain that lasts all day at the same level.

Symptoms can also include a loss of taste, dry mouth, increased thirst, and a constant metallic or bitter taste when eating.

Even though there is no officially recognized cause, burning mouth syndrome can be classified as primary or secondary depending on the potential trigger.

This type of burning mouth syndrome occurs when there are symptoms without any identifiable clinical abnormalities linked to this condition. However, some studies have begun to look at the relationship between primary BMS and an autoimmune-inflammatory issue with the central nervous system.

On the other hand, secondary BMS occurs when doctors can find a link between symptoms and another health problem, including:

Functional medicine practitioners also believe certain factors may increase your risk, including:

Combining that knowledge with the known risk factors of BMS, we can begin to address this condition by working backward, uncovering possible triggers, and addressing symptoms naturally. Here are some resources I use when addressing BMS:

With cases of burning mouth syndrome I almost always run labs to assess: gut microbiome health; low-grade biotoxin chronic infections (such as Lyme disease) and other co-infections; as well as mold toxins (mycotoxins). In my experience, any one of these can shift the body into an inflammatory state, putting the immune and nervous systems into hyperdrive.

In my clinic, we always go through a comprehensive health history to better determine underlying factors that could have led to symptoms or still be triggering them and influencing lab work. Some of the things we look at are:

Studies have shown strong promise1 for both vitamin B and zinc supplementation in reducing burning sensations in those with BMS. Since research has also seen a connection between vitamin D deficiencies and BMS2, it could also be beneficial to supplement with vitamin D.

On a surface level, it is best practice to avoid spicy and acidic foods that can further irritate your mouth and heighten BMS symptoms. Going a little deeper, avoiding foods that can further perpetuate inflammation is most likely going to be helpful, due to inflammation's role as a risk factor for BMS. In my practice, these include:

As for the foods to prioritize, there are a few I'd recommend. Since studies show vitamin D deficiency to be a factor and B vitamin supplementation to help, focusing on foods high in both of these vitamins could be useful:

Additionally, focusing on anti-inflammatory foods like turmeric and foods high in zinc might help influence the pathways involved in BMS.

As we continue to learn more about this health problem, the more concrete solutions we will be able to find. By looking at the body through the lens of functional medicine and how everything is interconnected, we can begin to give hope to anyone struggling with BMS and give them back the health they deserve.