Burning Tongue

Background

There are a number of factors that contribute to burning tongue:

• If the tongue is smooth (with the taste buds gone) low iron (ferritin test under 60 ng/ml) and B12 deficiency (B12 level under 400) need to be considered.
• If it has a white coating or is fissured, then other B vitamin deficiencies are more likely, especially if the burning is located near the tip or sides of the tongue with visible tender swollen taste buds, and only a small area is effected (large taste buds in the back of the tongue are normal).
• If the entire tongue is burning, and vitamin B12 and iron levels are OK, then it may be "Burning Tongue Syndrome," which is suspected to be a neuropathy (see Nerve Pain).

Treatments

A good multivitamin powder with high levels of B vitamins can be helpful (I don’t find the RDAs helpful).

If the ferritin is under 40 ng/ml, I add 50 mg of iron (plus vitamin C to help absorption) daily. (Note: Iron normally turns the stool black.)

If the condition persists despite the multivitamin powder and iron, add lipoic acid 300 mg 2x day (it takes 6 months to work) and consider the other treatments you can find under Neuropathy.