Burnt Tongue and Burning Mouth Syndrome: Quick Relief Tips and Management Methods
By Dr. Shubham Pandey +2 more
Medically reviewed by Dr. Shubham Pandey
Last updated: Apr 16, 2024Click to rate this article!
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By Dr. Shubham Pandey +2 more
Medically reviewed by Dr. Shubham Pandey
Last updated: Apr 16, 2024Table of Contents
Sometimes a hot bite or sip can ruin your meal, leaving you with a burnt tongue. But feeling a burning sensation in your mouth even without eating hot food is referred to as burning mouth syndrome (BMS). This can feel like a burn but doesn’t come from eating or drinking something hot. In this article, we will discuss how to differentiate between a burnt tongue and burning mouth syndrome. We will also discuss how to manage both.
Did you know?
A burnt tongue can affect how you eat, drink, and even talk and if you leave it untreated, you could face further issues like infection or taste loss. Recognizing and managing BMS is also important. This may help you deal with this long-term painful condition.
Many times, a burnt tongue simply comes from contact with hot food or liquid. If you are someone who drinks hot tea and soups frequently, you may be at a higher risk of burning your tongue. To avoid this, try testing the temperature before you take a bite or a sip.
It can affect people without any clear cause. The burning feeling could appear suddenly or gradually. BMS is divided into two types: primary and secondary. Primary BMS happens even when there’s no obvious cause. Experts think that problems with the nerves that control taste and pain might cause it. Genes and the environment may also play a role.
Secondary BMS is different. It happens because of another “underlying” condition that affects the mouth which is described below.
Burns can be mild to severe. The symptoms can differ based on how bad the burn is. Always get your healthcare provider’s advice for a correct diagnosis.
In general, a burnt tongue can show:
A burnt tongue might also affect your taste temporarily because the taste buds can get damaged.
Tongue burns from hot food or drinks often make the tongue red and swollen or cause blisters. But BMS, on the other hand, doesn’t usually show any visible signs. BMS could cause:
If you have BMS, eating or drinking may lessen your symptoms, but they may get worse as the day progresses.
If your burn is mild, simple home remedies may help. But for more severe burns or if you see signs of infection (like pus or more redness and swelling), you need medical help. Your doctor can examine the burn, give you the right medicines, and oversee the management better.
If you often feel a burning on your tongue and there’s no clear reason, you should see your healthcare provider. They can evaluate your condition, carry out required tests, and determine if you have BMS or something else.
Your doctor can detect a tongue burn by looking at it and finding out the cause (food or liquid). You can use home remedies and over-the-counter medicines to manage mild burns. But severe burns need professional check-ups and management.
For serious tongue burns, your healthcare provider may prescribe medication that can ease the pain and avoid infections. Antibiotics may be prescribed for bacterial infections.
For mild tongue burns, you may soothe it at home by:
Primary BMS does not currently have a known cure, so management plans aim to manage pain and ease symptoms. Some methods that have worked for some people are:
For secondary BMS, managing the root cause may help ease symptoms. This might include changing medicines, managing health conditions such as diabetes, or dealing with a lack of nutrients in your diet using supplements. You should discuss with your healthcare provider to decide the best approach.
A lifestyle change could also help ease BMS symptoms:
If a severe tongue burn isn’t managed, it can lead to infection and possible loss of taste. BMS, on the other hand, can cause long-term pain and unhappiness, leading to anxiety and depression.
To stop tongue burns, be careful when handling hot food and drinks. Make sure to check the temperature first and let hot items cool down to avoid accidental burns.
While there’s no surefire way to avoid burning mouth syndrome, making certain lifestyle changes may lower your risks.
A burnt tongue can put a damper on your day, but with the right care and management, you may recover effectively. Besides food or drinks, if you feel a burning sensation on your tongue, knowing the difference between tongue burn and burning mouth syndrome is important. Understanding their causes, symptoms, and management options may help you seek the right help. As always, consult your healthcare provider for correct diagnosis and advice when dealing with burning sensations in your mouth.
Drink cool liquids, use ice chips, clean your mouth with cool water, and avoid spicy or acidic foods to make your burnt tongue repair faster.
If your tongue is mildly burnt, it generally undergoes repair in less than two weeks. But, if the burn is severe, repair could take up to six weeks.
Keep your mouth clean, rinse with cool water regularly, and avoid irritating foods like spicy or acidic ones.
Good oral care, avoiding hot, spicy, or acidic foods, rinsing with saltwater, and using topical oral numbing agents may help soothe a sore tongue.
You may avoid a tongue burn by avoiding hot food or drinks and checking the temperature first. To reduce the odds of BMS, manage stress, maintain good oral hygiene, and avoid overly acidic or spicy foods.
See a doctor if you find signs of infection like fever, pus, redness, swelling, or if the burn doesn’t start to repair in a few days. For a burning sensation with no apparent cause, consult your healthcare provider to get a proper evaluation and possible diagnosis of BMS.
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