How to Cure a Burnt Tongue

Tongue burn is an annoying mouth injury that can happen to anyone. You can get it from drinking or eating anything that is too hot for your tongue to tolerate. It can be from a hot chocolate, coffee, pizza, or tea. Swelling, redness, and pain are the most common symptoms, but temporary loss of taste and blistering are evident in severely burnt tongue. The good news is that it is easy to soothe and treat a burnt tongue, and this article will share effective home remedies to heal the area fast.

It will normally take around two weeks for a burnt tongue to heal up. You can help heal the area faster by avoiding anything that can further irritate the area. To soothe the burnt tongue, below are home remedies that will surely come in handy.

Curing a Burnt Tongue

Aloe vera

Aloe vera has healing properties that have been known for ages. This plant does not only soothe the damaged cells on your burnt tongue but also helps speed up the healing process. The only downside of using aloe vera is its awful taste. Make sure to use fresh aloe vera for this remedy.

Cut one leaf from the plant, wash it, and then squeeze to extract the juice. Apply the juice over the affected area to soothe the burns. You can do this repeatedly throughout the day until the pain and other symptoms begin to go away. Some people choose to freeze the juice into ice cubes and suck them as needed for instant relief.

Sprinkle sugar

Sugar is not only sweet, but it also does help soothe your burnt tongue. You will want to head for the sugar jar when a hot food or beverage wreaks havoc on your tongue for instant relief. Simply scoop a teaspoon and pour it on your tongue, and lift it against the roof of your mouth until the sugar dissolves. You will feel relief right away, and you can do it again whenever you start to feel pain.

Apply honey

Honey offers a natural way of healing your burnt tongue. It will soothe the area, and reduce the swelling in the process. All you have to do is to grab a spoonful of honey and let it sit on your tongue for over a minute. However, it should be noted that using honey for pain relief is not for everyone. Some people get allergic reactions to the ingredient, and children below one year old should not receive this remedy to prevent infant botulism – a type of gastrointestinal condition.

Eat yogurt

Yogurt is good for your health and low in calories. It is also effective in soothing the burn on your tongue. Greek yogurt is the highly recommended for this purpose, but any other yogurt will do if you cannot find one. Simply take a tablespoon of yogurt and place it on your tongue. Allow it to set for a while before swallowing it. If there is no yogurt available, try drinking a cup of cold milk to soothe the pain and help speed up the healing process.

Apply ice cube or drink cold water

There are many home remedies that you can easily find in your kitchen. Water is one of the easiest remedies to get, especially if you are already screaming because of the pain. Cooling the affected area will help reduce the level of pain felt, while also promoting the healing of damaged cells. You can either drink a glass of cold water or simply suck some ice cubes. You will almost instantly feel the burning sensation fade away. Allow the ice or water to linger inside your mouth for a while before swallowing or spitting. You can also run water over your tongue to help soothe the pain.

Try taking Vitamin E oil capsules

Vitamin E is good for the skin and body. It helps fight free radicals to promote faster healing, which is why it can be considered as a home remedy for a tongue. Vitamin E helps heal burns by encouraging cell regeneration. To use it on your burnt tongue, pop open a capsule and place its content onto the affected areas and spread gently. You can repeat this a few times every day until the burning sensation and inflammation go away.

e cough drops

Cough drops with menthol, phenol or benzocaine can help soothe your burnt tongue. They help numb the tongue and allow you to feel zero pain for a while. You can also try using a mouthwash with one of these ingredients to help speed up the healing process.

Take Over-the-Counter painkillers

If the pain becomes too intense after using any of the home remedies listed here, you can consider taking an over-the-counter pain reliever. It can either be a paracetamol, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen. These painkillers help relieve the swelling and pain. Aspirin is a no-no for your burnt tongue, especially among children below 16 years of age.

Avoid foods and drinks that can irritate the burnt tongue

Another way to speed up the healing process is to avoid any food and drink that may further irritate the tongue. These include salty, acidic, hot, and spicy food or beverage. They can damage the taste buds and eventually cause temporary loss of taste. They are counterproductive in the healing process, so it is best to avoid these foods and beverages. You will also want to avoid citrus fruits, vinegar, and their juices (sodas, hot pepper, vinegar, and tomatoes). It is also advisable to keep away from salty snacks, such as chips, while your burnt tongue is starting to heal up.

These are just some of the most effective ways to treat a burnt tongue. The ingredients can be found in your kitchen, and making them is a breeze, as well. If the need is urgent, then you can simply just drink cold water or suck ice cubes for immediate relief. A burnt tongue normally subsides and returns to its normal state after a week or two, depending on the severity.

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