Question: 54 year old femalle, 5'5", 170 lbs. I have had a problem with my mouth burning for the past 8 months. During this time my tongue had hurt so bad at times it feels swollen and had become smooth, occasional ulcers in my mouth, and a weird thick saliva. Sometimes the saliva has been extremely salty, and then times bitter or metalic tasting, and it almost feels like it corrodes my teeth. My tongue feels like sandpaper at times. I drink a lot of water, etc. to keep from feeling nausiated at times. My saliva has changed more to a foamy (and sometimes sticky) consistency. My lips also burn at times and if my tongue is burning and I touch it to the area on the roof of my mouth, then the roof of my mouth near my teeth becomes extremely painful and is tender. My lower teeth also hurt so bad sometimes I can hardly stand the pain and now after 8 months of this pain, my neck near my chin seems tight and painful. Almost like my glands are beginning to swell. I have gone to dentists and 1 found that I had a cracked tooth and then I had a root canal. I was hoping it was an infection that could be cleared up. And I've gone to the doctor numerous times with no answer plus the emergency care trying to find out what's wrong but haven't yet. In these months I have been prescribed medicine for viruses, antibiotics 3-4 times, and a medicine for a fungal infection but nothing changes. I still have it and it's wearing me down after 8 months of constant annoying and sometimes pain so bad I can hardly eat. I stay away from foods that irritate it when extremely sensitive. I have been healthy up until this problem. I did go to a diet doctor in December and got B vitamin shots and diet pills but did stop taking them when this started up because the dentist tought maybe that was something that I added to my routine. But it hasn't changed. I have this problem from the time I get up until I go to bed and sometimes evenings are worse. The doctor has done blood work but I won't go there until Tuesday again. The said they'd call if they say anything serious and I haven't heard from them. Months ago she mentioned that she might send me to an ENT specialist and then the endodontist that did my root canal said it might be a salivary problem. I've switched toothpaste to sensitive toothpaste and I have been taking antihistamines (Zertec) the past 4 days thinking it might be an allergic reaction to something. I thought it was starting to feel a little better, but today it's gotten worse again so I don't know. I feel like I want to constantly touch my teeth because now they feel pasty or something. I just had my teeth cleaned last week so it's not my teeth. I've even tried a mouth guard from the dentist in the beginning because I didn't know if I was grinding my teeth at might. And about a month ago I even asked the doctor to increase my antidepressent because I was beginning to wonder if I've developed an obsession with it but that didn't help so I went back to the lower prescription. It's hard to explain. I don't know where to turn for help. Is this some kind of disease? Today I feel achy and almost flu-like. I'm hoping this isn't a new addition to my problem.

I really seem to have a lot of saliva at times and it's a strange texture. Almost foamy or slimey. And there is pain in the jaw bones below the teeth and in my throat, not just the skin in my mouth. I try to stay away from fizzy drinks and don't eat many sweet things especially since I was trying to lose weight. I do eat mostly protein and not many carbohydrates. Also, I'm on Lexapro now. I was on Celexa and got off of that. It just concerns me especially since the bone area in my chin below my teeth and then the area of my throat right under my chin hurts and feels tight as if it's swollen. What could cause this? Sometimes it feels like it's a muscle connected to my tongue. Today I still feel fatigued and achey, no fever, and my stomach is nausiated from so much foamy saliva. What else can I try or what kind of doctor should I go see? Do you think this is an ENT problem or who would know about this type of problem? Is this some type of infection???

I really appreciate your advice in this. It really scares me since I've had it so long, but I have one more question. If it is that Sjogren's syndrome, is there a cure for that? I thank you again for anything you can help me with. I have a doctor's appointment to see what she says and I am going to ask to see an ENT as soon as possible. Thank you again.

Thank you. I just returned from the doctor and all of my regular blood tests were normal. She doesn't know what kind of doctor to send me to. So thank you again. Any other suggestions is truly appreciated.