What Causes Pain In Mouth And Tongue?

Posted on Tue, 10 Feb 2015

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Tue, 10 Feb 2015 Answered on

Fri, 27 Feb 2015 Last reviewed on

Question : My tongue has been very sore, like if I burned it on hot food, for several days. The roof of my mouth has been sore and there is pressure in my sinuses. I have TMJ pain and digestive issues also. Could those be the cause?

Answered by Dr. Kathy Robinson (3 hours later)

Brief Answer:
yes, TMJ and digestive issues can cause this type of pain

Detailed Answer:
Hello and thank you for your question.

The TMJ and digestive issues can cause pain i the mouth and tongue by different mechanisms. With TMJ you can get nerve irritation which may be perceived as pain in the mouth, tongue and neck muscles. With digestive issues you may have infection or irritation in the mouth causing the symptoms. If you have reflux (heartburn) then the stomach acid may wash back up into your mouth and night and cause an irritation of the tongue and mucus membranes in the mouth. Treating your TMJ could be helpful. Also avoiding foods that are acidic such as citrus or tomatoes may help. Adding a probiotic may be helpfu to you as well. I hope you are feeling better soon

Regards,
Dr. Robinson

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T