Have you ever experienced extreme soreness of your mouth or tongue after eating something containing artificial cinnamon flavoring? I am not referring to actual cinnamon, the natural spice, strictly the artificial cinnamon flavorings usually associated with red dyed candies, gums and dental products.
The Journal of Dermatological Case Reports, in an article written by Eleni A.Georgakopoulou, refers to this condition as Cinnamon contact stomatitis. The article defines Cinnamon contact stomatitis , or (CCS) as “a rare reaction to the use of products containing artificial cinnamon flavor ingredients.”
As I have mentioned in my opening paragraph, this artificial flavoring can be found in many items, such as chewing gums, toothpastes, mints, candy, mouthwash and other oral care products. The chewing gum Big Red seems to be the biggest culprit (and my absolute favorite gum), as there are many articles online referring to people having truly horrible reactions after chewing this gum, including sores in the mouth and on the tongue, swelling of the tongue, blisters, and even ulcerated sores in the mouth.
I have always had a slight reaction when I over do any artificial cinnamon containing product, and have experienced such symptoms. My son, however, was the one who had the worst reaction I have ever seen firsthand. He had purchased a large package of multiple packs of Big Red, and had been chewing the gum for a few days.( He had experienced a milder reaction a few years before this incident, when I had purchased a cinnamon flavored toothpaste, and after switching him to a different non-cinnamon paste, his problems subsided.) This time, from the Big Red gum, he developed numerous blisters and sores in his mouth and all over his tongue, to the point where his tongue was puffy and swollen and it interfered with his speech and his ability to eat. He was in so much pain for several days and was miserable. At this point, I made the connection between the toothpaste issue and the gum, and began looking up information online that confirmed my suspicions.
There wasn’t much I could do but perhaps spray his mouth with an oral analgesic such as Chloraseptic spray , to try to numb the pain (*Note : I am not offering this as medical advice, please consult your/your child’s doctor if this should happen to someone in your family. This is simply how I dealt with the issue with my own child*) It took several days, and after swearing off any artificial cinnamon containing products altogether, his mouth healed and he was fine. It just takes time for the mouth to heal from this reaction.
Keep this in mind if you or someone you know is experiencing mouth issues as described in this article. Think back to if that person has been using any product containing artificial cinnamon, as this could be the problem. The only “cure” for Cinnamon contact stomatitis is to avoid using any products containing artificial cinnamon.