I have been having discomfort from symptoms that my dentist said might be dry mouth. My tongue feels swollen although it isn't...and like I have drank something hot and burned the surface. Also, my lips feel swollen although they don't look like they are. It all seems like feelings and not visible. I have also, when brushing my teeth, used my toothbrush to clean my tongue (I always have and use a soft brush) and find that when I rinse there is a tiny amount of blood rinsed out from the back of my throat. This has been going on for about 2 months and does not seem to be going away. I also have a bad taste in my mouth and am constantly rinsing with mouthwash. How should this be treated and what kind of testing should be done for a diagnosis?
Welcome to JustAnswer, and thank you for putting your trust in me!If you have used the Biotene mouth rinse with no benefit, it may be that your oral discomfort may be due to some other mucous membrane disorder.Complaints like yours can be the result of a side effect of certain drugs; contact sensitivity to a constituent of toothpaste, mouthwash, chewing gum, or other allergen; a nutritional deficiency, a blood disorder (e.g., anemia), a fungal infection (erythematous candidiasis), and a variety of autoimmune muco-cutaneous disorders, including lichen planus, pemphigoid, lupus, and Crohn's disease.Unfortunately, the superficial appearances of all these very different issues are very similar, and with few exceptions, they can seldom be conclusively identified or distinguished on sight. Fortunately, these disorders can be assessed by more formal diagnostic efforts, such as a thorough review of your medical history and medications used, cultures, blood tests, and if necessary, biopsy.Having had these symptoms for two months, it is increasingly unlikely that they will go away on their own. Your best recourse at this point would be to consult with a clinical oral pathologist. Clinicians in this dental specialty are best qualified to identify the cause of the problem, and provide remedial care. Your dentist can provide you with a referral, or you may consult the online directory of the American Academy of Oral & Maxillofacial Pathology for contact information for an oral pathologist near you.Hope this helps...