Everyday Oral Surgery

Burning Mouth Syndrome, Diagnosis and Management (with Dr. Hayley Vatcher, Oral Medicine Specialist)

December 18, 2023 Grant Stucki - oral and maxillofacial surgeon Episode 225
Everyday Oral Surgery
Burning Mouth Syndrome, Diagnosis and Management (with Dr. Hayley Vatcher, Oral Medicine Specialist)
Show Notes

Burning Mouth Syndrome is not a strictly surgical topic, but it’s something practitioners will often deal with. During this episode, Dr. Hayley Vatcher returns to the podcast to share her insights on this complex diagnosis and how best to treat it. Tune in as Dr. Vatcher draws on her years of experience to offer guidelines on identifying when patients are struggling with this condition and advising them on how to manage it. Starting with more conservative approaches, we explore different methods of dealing with Burning Mouth and reducing the symptoms, including nutritional and supplementary care, topical solutions, and more. Dr. Vatcher also breaks down key research into causes, management, and more. Thanks for listening in! 


Key Points From This Episode:

  • Welcome to Oral Medicine Specialist, Dr. Hayley Vatcher.
  • Defining Burning Mouth Syndrome, also referred to as Complex Oral Sensitivity Disorder (COSD).
  • Neuropathic aspects of Burning Mouth Syndrome.
  • How it is managed without surgery.
  • Why Burning Mouth Syndrome is a diagnosis of exclusion.
  • Ruling out the possibility of a vitamin deficiency instead of COSD.
  • Why something that soothes an ordinary mouth will burn someone with COSD.
  • The patient experiences of burning sensations elsewhere on the body or the skin.
  • Treatment options for patients suffering with this condition.
  • Why practitioners regularly start with a more conservative approach to treatment.
  • Optimizing vitamin intake as a supplementary treatment. 
  • Noting that the symptoms are not visible to the eye within the mouth. 
  • Why the condition is most common in post-menopausal women. 
  • The possibility of whether other medicines can cause Burning Mouth. 
  • What has led to the lack of surgical intervention for this condition.
  • Historical data that has shown a Vitamin B Complex to reduce symptoms.
  • Research into different nutritional solutions. 
  • Why many of these patients have often already seen three to four other practitioners.


Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Save 35% on my favourite instruments - KLS Martin
KLS Martin — https://www.klsmartin.com/en/

KLS Martin Promo Code — StuckiFavs

KLS Martin Email — usa@klsmartin.com

Dr. Hayley Vatcher on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/hvatcher/

Dr. Hayley Vatcher Email — drvatcher@coafs.com

Academy of Orofacial Pain — https://aaop.org/

Burning Mouth Syndrome: A Review and Update — https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jop.12101

American Academy of Oral Medicine — https://www.aaom.com/

Everyday Oral Surgery Website — https://www.everydayoralsurgery.com/ 

Everyday Oral Surgery on Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/everydayoralsurgery/ 

Everyday Oral Surgery on Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/EverydayOralSurgery/

Dr. Grant Stucki Email — grantstucki@gmail.com

Dr. Grant Stucki Phone — 720-441-6059