Do you have a burned tongue from sipping coffee that was too hot or from eating pizza that stuck to the roof of your mouth? You don’t have to suffer, thanks to these simple home remedies to soothe the pain.
It could happen to the best of us at one time or another. We know we should probably wait for that hot pizza, or microwave heated foods to cool down before taking a bite, but we don’t, and the and the result is searing pain from a burned tongue, a burned mouth, and sometimes even burned gums. Pizza burns are the most common and recurrence can be best avoided by prevention. You should make sure that the food or drink isn’t too hot before taking a bite or a sip. You should take additional care while savoring the microwave heated liquids or foods as they can be hotter than usually expected. Preferably, wait for the hot foods to get a little cooler including sauces, cheese, or hot beverages.
After the damage is done — the too-hot food has been consumed, and your burned mouth is in pain. Now what? There are some simple home remedies and strategies that can help speed healing as you wait for the hurt to subside.
There are a number of things you can do to provide immediate relief for the pain and get your burned mouth back to feeling its best. Just like when you burn the skin, the best thing to do with a scalded mouth is too cool it down. The easiest way to do that is with cold water. You should rinse for 5 to 10 minutes with cold water until the pain eases. Listed below are some additional tips to help you heal and prevent such a burn in the future:
In addition to rinsing with cold water, try holding the water in the mouth for a few minutes to help soothe the burn.
There is a thin lining of the soft tissue that covers the palate, so there is an increased chance that blisters may form. In such a case, the ice cubes may be rubbed over the area for relief and for avoiding swelling and pain.
Once you’ve finished the initial cooling off with water or ice, rinse and gargle with a salt-water solution. Stir half a teaspoon of salt into a glass of warm water and use it to wash your mouth out. (The salt water should not be swallowed). The salt is antiseptic and will help to clean and disinfect the burned area.
Sugar also brings relief. After the burn, it is recommended to swallow some sugar and let it dissolve slowly in the mouth. Honey, being a natural antiseptic, will also deliver soothing results as it develops a coating over the affected area.
Rinsing your mouth with cold milk also provides relief as it forms a coating over the affected area.
Remember to avoid any hot, spicy, or citrus foods until your burns have healed completely. Hot meals and hot drinks should also be avoided until your burns disappear completely. Cooler drinks or meals will be a better option at such times. Also crunchy or crisp foods can scratch a healing burn and should be avoided until the burn is completely healed.
Above all, resist touching the burned area. Keep it clean, brush your teeth, and give it time to heal. Your body is remarkably capable of fixing itself. If, despite all your efforts, the burn or pain persists for seven days or more or worsens, you should seek medical attention.
When to seek medical help
If soreness and blistering of the palate still persists after trying the home remedies listed above, you should see medical assistance in the following cases:
If condition still persists even after trying the remedies for more than seven days.
If sore palate develops after taking new medications.
If a person has a weak immune system condition including cancer or HIV.
If large white patches are visible on the palate.
If symptoms worsen, and skin rashes occur and a person experiences trouble while swallowing coupled with fever and a sore palate.
There are also other reasons why the roof of your mouth may experience pain. Different allergies attacking the inside of your mouth, tooth abscess, diabetes, ear infections, oral thrush, dentures that poorly fit, vitamin deficiency, herpes, mineral deficiency, smoking and chewing tobacco are some things that can make the roof of your mouth hurt.
You should schedule a consultation and/or examination with your dentist or health care provider if you are experiencing unexplained mouth pain to help determine what type of treatment is required, if any. And remember make sure the food or drink isn’t too hot before taking that first bite or sip!