There is nothing as uncomfortable as a burnt tongue. The main cause of this condition is a high temperature burn and the effects can be mild or severe. The good news is that there are several methods that can be used in effectively managing such a situation. Read on for more information.
Cool Your Tongue
As soon as your tongue has been burnt, counter the effects by taking a cool item. The item that you apply should be kept in contact with the tongue for not less than a minute. Since the heat will be dispersed in a quicker manner, damage on the cells of the tongue will be controlled.
[youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lz_H6ouP5UU” width=”200″ height=”200″]Some of the cooling items that you can take include:
- Frozen fruits
- Crushed ice
- Ice cubes
- Ice cream
- Yogurt
- Use Ointment
The burnt tongue can be relieved of the pain when you apply ointment on it. Since the pain will be numbed, comfort ability will be restored. There are numerous anesthetic ointments, especially those meant for mouth ulcers, which are readily available. Anesthetic mouthwash is equally effective as well. Prior to using any medication you should contact a physician or medical expert. The medications posted below are for information purposes only. Take prescription advise from a medical professional only.
Use Cough Drops
Cough drops help in alleviating the burning sensation when sucked for few minutes. Use products that contain menthol or benzocaine.
Avoid Foodstuff with High Acidity
The healing process may take several days. As a precaution, ensure that you steer clear from acidic foods. They usually act as irritants thereby hindering recovery.
Do not eat the following foods when suffering from a burnt tongue:
- Vinegar
- Tomatoes
- Pop
- Citrus fruits
- Citrus juices
- Potato chips
Suck on a Sponge
This technique offers a quick, soothing relief. First, take a clean sponge and dampen it using cold water. Then, suck the sponge until all the water has been drained. Dampen the sponge again and repeat several times.
Important Tips:
- Use sugar on taste buds that are blistered. Take a teaspoon of sugar and pour it on the affected area. Press the tongue against the upper part of the mouth and hold until the sugar dissolves. This is without a doubt a sweet relief for a burnt tongue.
- Avoid numbing the tongue when you’re about to have a meal. You may easily bite it by mistake while eating which will definitely worsen the wound.
- Be careful when using ice cubes on the tongue. Ensure that they’re wet to prevent them from sticking onto the tongue. This can be quite painful and will agitate the burn.
- Honey is a popular remedy for a burnt tongue. However, it should not be used on children less than 1year old. This is because such children can get intoxicated by honey, a condition that can even lead to death.
- Never use creams for oral wounds. These creams are usually designed for the skin and, therefore, contain harmful ingredients that should not be ingested.
- Use ointments sparingly. These medications contain elements that can cause numbness of the throat making swallowing a lot more difficult.
Always seek medical advice for severe burns. To learn more about managing severe burns or other medical emergencies enrol in a first aid course here. The material posted above is for learning purposes only.