Burning mouth syndrome (glossitis) is a painful disorder of the mouth. Other terminology for burning mouth syndrome is scalded mouth syndrome, burning tongue syndrome, burning lip syndrome, glossodynia or stomatodynia.

The pain with this syndrome may affect lips, gums, teeth, cheeks, tongue and back of the throat. In some cases, the pain may be severe and may feel as if the whole mouth has been burnt. The cause of burning mouth syndrome is unknown. However, that does not mean that the condition cannot be treated.
Glossitis symptoms include the following:
- A continuous burning sensation that affects the entire mouth
- Tingling sensation in the mouth and tip of the tongue
- Mouth pain that progressively gets worse during the day
- Feeling of a dry mouth sensation
- Increased thirst
- sore throat
- Loss of taste

Burning mouth syndrome is very variable in its presentation and different people might have different Glossitis symptoms. The pain may occur daily or it may occur only once a week. In some cases the pain may awaken up the individual from sleep. Whatever the symptom pattern, burning mouth often lasts for several years before a proper diagnosis is made. For the physician, the condition is hard to diagnose as there are no physical findings in the mouth or the tongue.
Why burning mouth occur is a really mystery. Underlying problems that have been linked to burning mouth syndrome include:

- Dry mouth
- Thrush or yeast infection
- Anxiety, depression
- Nutritional deficiencies (e.g. lack of iron, zinc, folate, thiamine, pyridoxine, cobalamin and riboflavin)
- Denture that place stress on gums
- Excessive use of tooth brush or over flossing
- Drinking too many acidic beverages.

Besides causing pain in the mouth, the disorder may also cause depression anxiety, difficultly socializing and irritability. The diagnosis of this disorder is difficult as there are no outwards signs. In all cases, patients undergo extensive investigations to rule out other causes like allergies. There is no one ideal method to treat this syndrome and the treatment depends on symptoms and severity. Since the condition comes and goes, it is very difficult to treat the patient.

Glossitis treatment is quite varied as not everyone responds to the same therapies. The best options are use of lozenges which contain anti seizure medication like klonopin, oral thrush mouth washes, anti depressants, vitamin supplements, anti septic mouth washes, saliva replacement, and pain relieving agents. In addition, glossitis treatment means undertaking changes in life style measures like discontinuing smoking, avoiding hot and spicy foods, avoiding products that contain cinnamon or mint, and trying out different brands of toothpaste.

Burning mouth syndrome can be painful and annoying and take months before a diagnosis is established. However, in the mean time one should join a pain support group, engage in exercise, eat healthy and understand that glossitis may suddenly disappear if you remain healthy.