Sunday, November 7, 2010

burning tongue

Q: I have been suffering from a sore tongue since starting antibiotic treatment a few months ago for allergies. I can't handle orange juice, applesauce or other acidic foods and eating is difficult. Is this due to the medicine, or something else?

A: Your antiobiotic may be the culprit of your tongue pain. There is a condition called "burning tongue syndrome" that occurs when a bacterial infection develops on your tongue from antibiotics. If your intake has been poor for a while, it may also be caused by nutritional deficiencies of iron, zinc, and folate.

For now, drink plenty of water to keep your mouth cool and moist, take a multi-vitamin to prevent deficiencies and eat soft, non-acidic foods until your mouth improves. Return to your doctor or dentist if the symptoms don't subside within a month after taking the antibiotics.

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