Mouth Diseases

Mouth problem

05/01/2008 05:03PM

Question:

I have a constant foul taste in my mouth with a yellowy brown coating to my tongue. My mouth also gets very dry. I have tried lots of brushing, mouth washes and have been treated twice for oral thrush but to no avail. I have seen both an oral specialist and E,N,T and the best they can come up with is a cavity harbouring food. I have had this for approx 3 years and it started when i was living in Thailand. Can you please help with a diagnosis? Could it be something tropical?

Answer:

Was the "oral specialist" an oral pathologist? Your symptoms could be related to decaying food in a broken down tooth, but assuming the "cavity" was identified and the tooth restored, then this should have resolved your problem. The yellow-brown color of your dorsal tongue is probably normal buildup of keratin with some extrinsic staining, and is not related to your foul taste.

You may have what is known as burning mouth syndrome, which is a sensory neuropathy that can affect nerves that transmit information about pain (burning), taste (taste phantoms or reduced taste) or texture (dry, slimy or swollen sensation). You may have the taste and texture components.

For more information, see the information for patients at the following website: http://aaomp.org. Evaluation by an oral pathologist may be appropriate in order to confirm the diagnosis.

For more information:

Go to the Mouth Diseases health topic, where you can:

Read articles on this topic
Browse the previously asked questions
Ask your own question.

Response by:

Carl M. Allen, DDS, MSD
Professor & Director, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery and Pathology
Dental Faculty Practice
Section of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology
College of Dentistry
The Ohio State University