Key points to know
- Oral health specialists are best placed to help someone who has burning mouth syndrome, but many seem to be as in the dark as any other healthcare professional.
- Oral medicine specialists and oral and maxillofacial pathologists specialize in oral pain conditions, so they may be more up-to-date on burning mouth syndrome.
Oral health specialists include dentists, oral medicine specialists, oral and maxilliofacial pathologists, dental hygienists, dental technicians, dental therapists, dental assistants, and denturists. They all may come across people living with burning mouth syndrome. Sadly, many don’t know anything about it.
At the time I wrote this, I found a study at UPenn, run by the School of Dental Medicine and Wharton School of Business. It’s goal is to track pain symptoms in real time, to see if they can get a better idea of BMS pain. There is no date on the page so I can’t guarantee that it is valid by the time you read this. When/if I find out it’s no longer valid, I’ll delete the information:
Of all dental professionals, it’s probably the oral pathologist who knows the most. These specialists identify and manage disease that affect the mouth, jaw, and lower part of the face. In fact, the U.S. National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research says on its BMS page: “Your dentist may refer you to a specialist in oral surgery, oral medicine, or oral pathology who can assist with diagnosing or treating BMS.” But they also say, “Ear, nose, and throat specialists can also treat this condition.”
A Plea to Dental Hygienists
Dental hygienists play a vital role in dental health. Regular visits to a dental hygienist allows them to not only clean your teeth but also examine your mouth for potential problems. They can also identify if you’re having difficulty with your oral care or if you’re neglecting it. They educate you about good dental health and encourage good habits.
Unfortunately, some dental hygienists I’ve seen seem to prefer the stick (and scolding) approach when I go for a cleaning. I can think of only a few hygienists who didn’t launch into a scolding about the importance of flossing when they looked in my mouth. If the ones who scolded me wanted to make me feel like an elementary school child being told off for misbehaving, it worked. But you know what it didn’t do? Make me floss more regularly. Why? Because they assumed I was too lazy to floss and they didn’t ask why I didn’t. When I tried to volunteer why, they didn’t want to hear it.
A few years ago, I came across a hygienist who didn’t fit that mold. She looked in my mouth and gently asked me if I flossed. When I admitted that I don’t, she asked – again gently – why. I explained it and she made a note of that in my file. Said she was going to see how she could help me. My next time at the clinic, a different hygienist saw me and castigated me again for not flossing – despite the note in my file.
Please, hygienists and other oral health practitioners – remember that your patients are people who may have health issues that prevent them from doing what you know would help them. And treating them like disobedient children is not going to change them. It will prevent them from returning to you. I am proof of that.