Pain Relief for Burning Mouth

Burning mouth syndrome wears you down and wears you out. I know from speaking with patients over the past 15 years that the search for a solution can sometimes seem endless. And sometimes, especially if you’re having a flare, you just want some relief. Over the years, we have heard from many patients about the things they do to get a little relief on the spot. Most of these are not in the scientific literature as solutions for burning mouth syndrome, but they do help some people for a short time.

Try these remedies for short term relief. But for truly ending your pain for good, create a personal healing plan using the steps in my Kindle book, Hope for Burning Mouth Syndrome: A Personal Healing Plan.

Natural Remedies for Burning Mouth Pain Relief

Some of these may surprise you in their simplicity – or by seeming absolutely the opposite of what should help. But all of them have been found to have some positive effect for some people.

Ice Chips, Cold Water

While it sounds very simple, some people find that sipping ice water, sucking on ice chips, or eating ice cream gives them temporary relief from their burning mouth syndrome.

How does it work?

This actually has a sound basis in physiologic function. The nerve fibers in the tissues lining the mouth and tongue produce artemin, a naturally occurring protein that acts as a growth factor within the nervous system. Cold temperatures strongly suppress the artemin activation in the nerves, which lowers the pain.

In addition, there are cold receptors in the spinal cord and brain stem. Activating them is another way to reduce your brain’s perception of pain. This mechanism is probably present in 50-65% of patients with burning mouth.

Manuka Honey

Recommendation: Wedderspoon Organic Mānuka Honey Drops

Manuka honey is a special type of honey that has potent antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. All of these properties are good for suppressing pain.  We have found that the best manuka honey drops are made by a company called Wedderspoon.

How does it work?

Manuka honey, unlike regular honey, has a high concentration of methylglyoxal, which is responsible for its potent properties. Manuka honey has been shown in animal studies to relieve pain, probably through reduction of inflammation and reduction of the “fight or flight“ part of the pain response. With BMS, we know that the fight-or-flight response amplifies existing pain.  

Clove Extract

Recommendation: Herb Pharm Clove Extract

Cloves are another natural product with potent pain-relieving effects. You can simply chew on a clove bud to release the chemical that provides pain relief. Or, there are companies that make clove extract, which is clove oil in an alcohol base. We recommend mixing clove oil extract with a neutral oil, such as coconut oil, and then placing it on the tongue or in the mouth.

How it works:

Clove oil has been known for many years to greatly decrease toothache pain. The compound responsible for this is called eugenol, which has pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory properties. 

Hot Peppers (Capsaicin)

You can find capsaicin in a common household food, Tabasco sauce.

This may be surprising and seem contradictory since hot peppers make our mouths burn. However, the same chemical that makes chili peppers taste hot and spicy has played an important role in folk medicine, which has often taken the approach of using “like to treat like”.

How does it work?

There is, in fact, a basis for the effects of hot pepper in relieving pain. Hot peppers contain capsaicin, which is what causes the burning sensation when we eat them.  Capsaicin does this by binding (attaching) to and stimulating nerves called “TRPV receptors.” 

If a stimulant is used in high doses or in low doses over a long period of time, the nerves that contain the TRPV-1 receptors become less functional. This means that they do not carry the pain sensations as intensely as normal nerves.  Using high-dose capsaicin is very painful, but you can implement a long, slow progression that may be helpful in relieving your burning mouth pain.

The first formal report of the pain-reducing properties of topical capsaicin in the Western hemisphere appeared in 1850 as a recommendation to use an alcoholic hot pepper extract on burning or itching extremities.

How to use Capsaicin for Burning Mouth:

This recommendation is based on a published study about a 59-year-old woman with a three-year history of BMS and a pain score of 10/10. The symptoms prevented her from eating, and in addition, she wore dentures.  The following treatment for BMS with diluted Tabasco sauce was used:  Initially, use 1-2 drops of Tabasco sauce in 60 ml (1/4 cup) of warm water, four times a day.  Hold in the mouth for 30 seconds, then spit out.  Gradually increase the dose. After 6 weeks, you should be using a solution of 16 drops of Tabasco sauce in 60 ml (1/4 cup) of water. Continue increasing the dose until you are using undiluted Tabasco sauce.  After 6 weeks, you should notice a significant decrease in pain. This should continue the longer you continue this regimen. The effectiveness of this treatment varies quite a bit, probably because many patients are unable to tolerate the initial increase in pain when they start using it. In addition, some people experience stomach pain, which can limit its use.

 

The natural options above, and the over-the-counter options below have helped many people get some pain relief from their burning symptoms. But for truly ending your pain for good, create a personal healing plan using the steps in my Kindle book, Hope for Burning Mouth Syndrome: A Personal Healing Plan.

Over-the-counter Options for BMS Relief 

Antihistamines 

Some people with burning mouth syndrome have problems with overactive white blood cells called mast cells. These are cells that release histamine in response to being stimulated. These cells are active in those with environmental allergies to trees and grasses. Some burning mouth patients also have overactive mast cells, which produce high amounts of histamine. Histamine is inflammatory and causes pain.  Children’s Benadryl Dye-Free Diphenhydramine Allergy Liquid is an antihistamine.  It’s recommended that you use 1 teaspoon of the Benadryl liquid, hold it in your mouth for one to two minutes, and then spit it out. Using this and other antihistamines can reduce the pain-causing effects of histamine in some burning mouth patients.

CBD Gummies

Recommendation: Cured Nutrition Serenity Gummies

Cannabis derived products can help with both pain and sleep. When you’re in pain, it is difficult to sleep. And when you haven’t had enough sleep, it’s even more difficult to deal with pain. The advantage of using gummies on the tongue is that they can directly impact the nerves in the tongue and mouth and provide relief without needing larger quantities that would actually be necessary to provide pain relief to the rest of your body.

How it works:

Although there are no scientific studies using this specific product for burning mouth, some of the components have been studied quite extensively. 

CBD: Your body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS) plays a central role in regulating pain, inflammation, mood, and immune response. CBD influences the ECS by altering how the body’s own endocannabinoids bind and are broken down, which can dampen pain signaling and reduce inflammatory responses. This helps shift the nervous system toward a state that’s less likely to amplify pain. CBD and THC, which are components of cannabis, have some evidence of pain relief, and they help with sleep. There may be side effects such as dizziness and sedation when used in high doses, so be cautious. 

L-theanine: helps inhibit pain processing that may be involved in burning mouth syndrome. It attaches to the calming nerve receptors in the brain and is calming without the side effect of sedation.  It can help with sleep and stress, which are two foundational aspects of pain relief.  

Ashwagandha: has been shown to have pain-relieving effects in animal studies. It works through our natural opioid system. We actually make pain-relieving chemicals in our own bodies.  Ashwagandha stimulates our ability to do this. And it also works through the GABA receptors, which are the calming neural receptors in our brain. Ashwagandha has been well documented to be anti-inflammatory and protect nerves, which is important given the associations between burning mouth and stress, anxiety, and nerve inflammation. 

Reishi mushrooms: have also been shown in animal models to be pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory. 

Burning Mouth Supplements

Recommendation: BMS Advanced Support Formula

Some nutraceuticals and hormones help reduce nerve inflammation and can be helpful in relieving neuropathic pain. In our clinic, we have taken the most effective ingredients and combined them into a single, safe formula designed specifically for people suffering from BMS.

How it works:

DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone): a hormone that rejuvenates nerve cells so they function better and cause less pain.  It also helps with general health, such as improved energy, immunity, and muscle building.

Pregnenolone: a hormone that also functions as a neuroactive steroid that helps to rejuvenate nerve cells.  It also helps to preserve memory by its action in the brain.

Vitamin D: functions much like a steroid hormone, even though it is called a vitamin. Vitamin D is involved in over 400 metabolic processes in the body. It is involved in the health of nerve cells and has been shown to help heal injured nerves. There is no side effect from vitamin D.

Lipoic Acid: has been shown to decrease pain and burning in the tongue/mouth, as well as other neurological conditions. It stimulates the sprouting of new nerve fibers.

Dry Mouth Support 

For some people, dry mouth is one of the most problematic aspects of burning mouth syndrome. Obviously, sipping water or sucking ice provides fluid in your mouth. But I wanted to review a few of the products you’re most likely to see on the shelves, too:

Xylitol gums and lozenges

Recommendation: Xylimelts

Xylimelt is a lozenge that sticks to the surface of your mouth or gums and releases xylitol slowly. It can help to increase saliva and decrease cavities. Xylitol helps increase saliva flow and reduces the risk of cavities if you truly have a dry mouth.

Xyligum is chewing gum that can also help with dry mouth. Chewing provides some relief from pain also.  It comes in peppermint and spearmint, which may be a problem for some people with burning mouth syndrome.  Most people with burning mouth syndrome feel like they have dry mouth, but in fact, they do have adequate saliva production. However, these products can relieve that feeling of dry mouth.

QNol Liquid:   

Recommendation: Qunol Liquid CoQ10

CoQ0 is part of the metabolic cascade that provides energy throughout our bodies.  The age-related decrease in saliva production may be partly due to low CoQ10 levels. Use 2-3 teaspoons. Swish and hold in your mouth for 30-60 seconds and then swallow.  This may help with decreased saliva production as well as the feeling of a dry mouth.

Biotene: 

Recommendation: Biotène

Has a variety of products to help with dry mouth.  Biotene comes in toothpaste, lozenges, rinses, gels, and sprays. It is a widely used line of artificial saliva substitutes and oral care products specially formulated to relieve and manage dry mouth (xerostomia) symptoms, such as stickiness, bad breath, and discomfort. All products are pH-balanced and free from alcohol and sugar. In clinical studies, they did not appear to show benefit over a placebo, but they may help some people.

 

Popular Ingredients with Questionable Results

If you search online or on popular shopping sites like Amazon, you are likely to see a number of suggested remedies that may give some people temporary relief but simply don’t have the research to support their claims.

Molecular iodine:

Products like “IoRinse,” which contain this ingredient, were originally developed as antibacterial formulations for gum infections but have also been helpful for those with mouth sores and pain. It has primarily been used by cancer patients who have inflammation of the mouth lining and mouth sores.  If your burning mouth syndrome is caused by bacterial or yeast overgrowth, you may benefit from this product. 

Sodium hyaluronate:

Gels and rinses with this ingredient have not been used in any clinical trials or systematic reviews, nor is it in any treatment guidelines for burning mouth syndrome.  However, it is known to have pain-lowering effects through a variety of mechanisms that are relevant to neuropathic pain, which is one of the underlying causes of burning mouth syndrome. 

Dexpanthenol (provitamin B5):

Dexpanthenol, the alcohol form of pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), is also called provitamin B5 and has not been studied in any clinical trial specifically for burning mouth syndrome. However, it does have several properties, including healing oral mucous linings, anti-inflammatory effects, and pain-relieving effects in other oral pain conditions that may possibly make it helpful for getting relief from BMS. 

Benzocaine:

Benzocaine is a local anesthetic that may help burning mouth syndrome if it’s caused by degeneration of nerves in the mouth and tongue. This product calms nerve hyperexcitability that causes pain. Relief occurs quickly but is only mild and is short-lived. 

However, for those patients who have central pain as the cause of their burning mouth syndrome, products containing benzocaine, like the popular Orajel, will not help and may in fact cause increased pain. 

 

Popular Products NOT recommended for BMS

There are also quite a few mouth-pain-related products that you may see recommended or encounter on the store shelves that we would not recommend specifically for people suffering from BMS.

Hydrogen peroxide mouthwash:

This product is not in any clinical guidelines or reviews as a treatment for BMS. In fact, it has been shown to worsen oral burning symptoms. Routine use in healthy volunteers resulted in problems with the smooth lining of the mouth.  It is not recommended for BMS.

Aloe vera gel:

Aloe vera has actually been studied in one group of 71 patients. It did not help any more than a placebo gel. 

Chamomile gel:

A study was conducted comparing chamomile gel with a placebo gel for pain relief. The results showed no significant pain-reducing effect with the chamomile gel. 

Glycerin products:

These products may provide some short-lived relief of discomfort associated with dryness in burning mouth patients. There is no evidence that they address the neuropathic pain mechanisms.

Topical Folic Acid:

Folic acid in oral form, when swallowed, may help with burning mouth syndrome in people with a nutritional deficiency. There is no evidence that using it in gel form directly on the mouth and tongue is helpful.

 

The Search for Long-term Healing

Burning mouth syndrome often is a long, winding road to solutions. There are solutions and treatments that can bring significant, long-term relief.

After reviewing charts of current and former patients, I estimate that 75% of my burning mouth patients feel “significantly better” on the Sklar Method of treatment. This includes hormone therapy, replacement of essential nutrients, and addressing underlying causes such as histamine release or reactivated viral infections.  

If you want to learn more about healing your BMS, a great place to start is my online course, Hope for Burning Mouth, or my Kindle book, Hope for Burning Mouth Syndrome: A Personal Healing Plan.

In the meantime, try one of these simpler, over-the-counter approaches for immediate relief that may not be supported by a lot of scientific research, but they are at least things that you can do yourself that may help you get through a difficult time and bring you some temporary relief.