How to Soothe a Burnt Tongue

A burnt tongue can cause plenty of discomfort, pain and sometimes a tingling sensation in the affected area. In extreme cases, a more severe burn can lead to tissue damage that swells and takes a lot of time to heal.

Usually, the accident is produced by a hot drink or food that contains cheese or other dairy products that heat up quickly.

There are some natural remedies that will offer relief to a burnt tongue or other areas of your mouth, that are safe to ingest and are best applied right away after the incident.

• Get relief by using cold water

The British Burn Association recommends you to apply cold water to the area. This should be the first thing that you must do to deal with the pain and ensure that you’ll have a quicker healing process. If possible, hold your tongue under running cold water for several minutes. In case the situation doesn’t allow you to do that, get a glass of cold water and take sips. By holding the water in your mouth until it becomes warm and repeating the process, you will alleviate the discomfort.

• Make a salt water mix

After you have cooled off your tongue, in order to prevent getting an infection, it’s advised to mix half a tablespoon of salt in a glass of warm water and swish the liquid in your mouth for as long as 30 seconds, then repeat the process several times a day, for a few days.

The salt will ensure that you won’t get blisters or develop a bacterial infection and also help with the healing process.

• Accelerate the healing process by applying honey

Due to its anti-inflammatory properties, honey works as a natural remedy for the damaged area. The journal Annals of Burns and Fire Disasters says that honey can work wonders even in cases of bacteria that don’t react to antibiotic.

By producing hydrogen peroxide, honey accelerates the healing, by reducing the swelling and minimizing the pain. If possible, use Manuka honey because it contains an excellent antimicrobial agent.

Hold a teaspoon of honey in your mouth for a few minutes and repeat the process a couple of times per day.

• Use Greek yogurt

The consistency of yogurt will ensure that the burnt area is covered which will provide a relief from the pain. Also, the yogurt will quickly soothe your tongue and eliminate the discomfort.

Stay away from these types of foods during the healing process

• Avoid spices that will damage the affected area and produce pain, like chili pepper, black pepper or ginger.
• Do not drink hot teas and take extra precautions with your food, by testing them first.
• Skip anything that contains citric acid, like lemons or grapefruit. They will irritate the burnt area.
• Leave the extra salty and crunchy treats for another day. Chips, peanuts, pretzels will let your tongue sore and with a tingling sensation.

Whether you choose to go with honey, salt-water, yogurt, or try them all, you will feel better using these natural remedies and the affected area will heal faster and be protected against bacteria.