Glossodynia and coeliac disease

Coeliac disease is an immune-mediated chronic inflammatory disorder of the small bowel caused by irritant gluten and, possibly, other environmental cofactors, in genetically prone people. Coeliac disease is characterized by no (or elusive or varied) symptoms. Oral clinical settings include aphthous stomatitis and dental enamel defects. Association with other signs in the oral mucosa (such as, for example, soreness, a burning sensation, erythema or atrophy) is much less common and, often, not considered by clinicians. We report on a 72-year-old woman with a four months history of oral burning sensation as a single clinical manifestation of coeliac disease. Clinical presentation and symptomatology are discussed in relation to the differential diagnosis of oral glossodynia. This case history highlights the importance of considering coeliac disease in managing cases of idiopathic glossodynia.