The next time you find yourself in this embarrassing situation, take heart. 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. Here are tips from dentists to help you heal and prevent such a burn in the future.
Top Dentist Tips for a Burned Tongue or Mouth
The damage is done – the too-hot food has been consumed, and your burned mouth is in pain. Now what? It’s a good idea to coat your burned tongue or mouth with something soothing that provides another layer of relief. Milk is an excellent choice because of its coating action.
Once you’ve taken these steps for immediate relief, it’s time to turn to over-the-counter medications to directly treat the burned tongue and mouth. Acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or other pain medicine are all fine choices.
As your burned mouth begins to heal, you want to steer clear of certain foods such as anything sharp, crunchy or foods that may be spicy or contain citrus and could exacerbate the lesion.
Also, there are a few simple strategies that can help speed healing as you wait for the hurt to subside. A remedy is to squeeze a 1,000 IU vitamin E capsule over the burn; it helps to regenerate healthy skin and tissue. Above all, resist touching the burned area. Keep it clean, brush your teeth, and give it time to heal.
If, despite all your efforts, the burn or pain persists for seven days or more or worsens, you should seek medical attention.