If you’ve ever gotten a bit too excited when taking that first bite of a hot dish, you’ve likely experienced a burned mouth. It can be uncomfortable to deal with the searing pain associated with burning your tongue or gums. While this happens to everyone, there are ways you can provide some quick relief for the pain so that you can enjoy your food.

Get something cool in your mouth to relieve the pain. Sucking on an ice cube, popsicle, or other frozen treat will likely make the burning sensation go away. The logic is the same as putting ice on a burn, but it is actually effective. You should also coat your tongue or the affected part of your mouth in something that will take away the sensation of the burn. Milk is great because it easily can coat the tongue and is used to wash away the effects of the heat.

Once you take these immediate steps, you might turn to some over-the-counter medication to treat prolonged pain. Acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or pain medicines are good choices and can be taken as a general treatment. If you want something more specific, look for a product like Orabase which covers the tongue and soothes the area with a film.

You will want to avoid eating super hot or cold foods in the meantime. The pain will worsen if you have sharp crunch foods or anything that exacerbates the burned areas cuts such as citrus or tangy foods.

Don’t fret if you burn yourself–after all it happens commonly. Take precautions when eating hot foods and remember that the pain is greater than the desire to quickly eat! Call our office if you have prolonged pain or have extreme bleeding.