Everyone, sooner or later, experiences the terrible sensation of burning their tongue. A sip of hot coffee or a bite of pizza just out of the oven are enough. Thankfully, there are several remedies to relieve pain and reduce swelling. Keep reading!
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Natural Remedies
Step 1. Suck on an ice cube or popsicle
The most obvious thing to do to treat a tongue burn is to apply something cold. If you don't want to suck on a popsicle or ice cube, you can have a cold drink.
Step 2. Eat yogurt
It is one of the best remedies because it soothes pain and is refreshing.
- Eat a spoonful of it right after you burn yourself and leave it on your tongue for a few seconds before swallowing.
- Natural Greek yogurt is best suited, but any type of yogurt will work. You can also try drinking a glass of cold milk.
Step 3. Put some sugar on your tongue
A unique home remedy is to sprinkle some sugar over the burn area and let it melt. The pain should subside immediately.
Step 4. Eat a spoonful of honey
It is a substance that has the ability to relieve pain.
- Simply eat a spoonful and leave it on your tongue for a few moments before swallowing it.
- Remember not to give honey to children under one year of age; it may contain toxic spores that cause infant botulism, a deadly disease.
Step 5. Rinse your mouth with salt
Salt can relieve burning and prevent an infection at the same time. Mix a teaspoon of salt with a cup of water. Take a big sip of water and swirl it in your mouth. Hold the salted water in your mouth for about a minute or two before spitting it into the sink.
Step 6. Use Vitamin E
Vitamin E oil relieves burning and accelerates the healing process because it helps the tissues of the tongue to regenerate. Open a 1000 IU vitamin E capsule and smear the oil on the sunburn.
Step 7. Breathe through your mouth
It might seem obvious, but even just passing fresh air through the mouth (rather than the nose) helps soothe the tongue.
Step 8. Avoid acidic or too salty foods
Until the tissue has healed, do not consume foods such as tomatoes, citrus fruits, and vinegar. You should also avoid salty chips as they irritate the tongue.
Step 9. Try aloe vera
It is a plant widely used to relieve and treat burns. Apply some of its gel (directly from the plant and not a cream or commercial product) on the sunburn. Keep in mind that it doesn't taste good!
Method 2 of 3: Take Painkillers
Step 1. Suck on some sore throat lozenges
Look for ones that contain benzocaine, menthol, or phenol. All of these ingredients work as a local anesthetic, numbing the tongue and helping you to cope with pain. You can also use an anesthetic mouthwash that contains the same ingredients.
Step 2. Chew a menthol gum
This substance activates the "cold" receptors on the tongue so that it can feel fresh. Both peppermint and regular mint are fine, as long as the gum contains menthol derivatives.
Step 3. Take some pain relievers
If the pain is really severe, consider taking over-the-counter medications such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen. They reduce pain and swelling.
Step 4. Do not use creams or ointments
Most burn creams are intended for external topical use.
- They should never be applied to the tongue as they contain toxic ingredients if ingested.
- Only the ointments specifically designed for the oral cavity are an exception.
Step 5. See a doctor
If the sunburn is very painful and swollen for more than 7 days, it is best to go to the doctor. He may prescribe stronger pain relievers or medications that speed up healing.
- If you experience a burning sensation that seems to have no apparent cause and that doesn't come from contact with hot food or drink, you may be suffering from glossodynia, a very painful disease that can involve multiple parts of the mouth.
- If you suspect that you have this disease, seek medical attention immediately, as it may hide other more serious systemic conditions such as diabetes, hypothyroidism, depression or food allergies.
Method 3 of 3: Relieve a Tongue Burn caused by Spicy foods
Step 1. Drink some milk
Is it burning your tongue from chili peppers or spicy foods? Drink a glass of milk. The proteins contained in it help remove capsaicin, the molecular compound responsible for the burning, from the receptors of the tongue. If you don't have milk, try a different dairy product like yogurt or sour cream.
Step 2. Eat some chocolate
Chocolate is high in fat, which helps remove capsaicin from your mouth. Choose milk chocolate; it is even fatter and also has some anti-burning properties of milk.
Step 3. Chew a slice of bread
Bread acts as a sponge for spicy foods, absorbing capsaicin and refreshing the mouth.
Step 4. Eat a teaspoon of sugar
Sugar helps absorb some of the spice oil, to absorb that pungent burning sensation you get when you eat spicy things. Alternatively, you can use honey.
Step 5. Try a hard alcohol
Alcohol dissolves capsaicin, so if you are of age to drink, you can try something like vodka or tequila to relieve the sting of spicy food. Avoid more watery alcoholic beverages like beer. These could actually make the situation worse.
Remember to drink responsibly
Advice
- Do not numb your tongue just before eating, as you risk accidentally biting it, which will irritate the burn more.
- If you don't have numbing gel, suck a clove, it will numb your tongue.
Warnings
- If you use ice cubes, remember to wet them before putting them on your tongue. Never apply ice directly to the sunburned tongue as it may stick and make the pain worse.
- Do not apply antibiotic creams on oral burns. Most of these creams are intended for external use. It could hurt you.
- Do not try to cope with any serious injuries on your own. If in doubt, consult your doctor.
- Honey is a fairly common remedy. However, remember to never use it on the tongue of babies up to 12 months.
- Don't overdo it with anesthetic ointments and creams. Excessive numbness in your throat may cause you to inhale regurgitated stomach materials or oral secretions.
