Mouth Problems – Common Symptoms and Causes

The mouth comprises the lips, tongue, oral cavity, palate , gum, teeth, bones (maxilla and mandible) and oropharynx which communicates with the throat. The various structures play an important role in :

• the sense of taste
• intake of food and drink
• breaking down solid food by chewing and grinding (mastication)
• breathing
• speech (articulation)

Common Symptoms of Mouth Problems

A number of problems may affect the functioning of the mouth and result in a host of signs and symptoms.

• Dry mouth(xerostomia)
  • Refer to causes of a dry mouth.
  • Dry lips may arise for the same reasons as a dry mouth as saliva is used to lubricate the lips. This may result in cracking of the lips.
• Bad breath(halitosis)
  • Refer to causes of bad breath and causes of bad morning breath.
• Pain in the mouth(stomatodynia)
  • Refer to causes of mouth pain and painful gums.
• Bleeding from the mouth(stomatorrhagia)
  • Refer to the causes of bleeding from the mouth and bleeding gums.
• Altered sense of taste
  • Ageusia is the loss of the ability to taste.
  • Dysgeusia is impairment of the sense of taste.
  • Cacogeusia is a bad taste in the mouth.
• Difficulty swallowing(dysphagia)
  • Refer to the causes of oropharyngeal dysphagia.
  • Other conditions may be related to the throat and are discussed under throat problems.
• Slurred speech(dysarthria)
  • This is a result of impairment with articulation affecting the lips, muscles of the face and/or tongue.
  • It may a result of a brain lesion as is seen with a stroke, neurodegenerative conditions like Parkinson’s disease, muscular conditions as is seen with myasthenia gravis or due to dental problems like poorly fitting dentures or dental implants.
• Twitching of the Lips
  • Refer to the causes of lip twitching.
• Altered Sensations of the Lips
  • Refer to causes of tingling or numb lips.
• Mouth Lesions
  • Refer to mouth sores and swollen gums.

Article reviewed by Dr. Greg. Last updated on August 27, 2012