Treating a Mouth Burn

It happens to the best of us, mouth burns are almost impossible to avoid. Let’s face it; mouth burns are painful and startling. Even when you try to be careful, piping hot coffee or super hot food will get you every time. The most frustrating part of a mouth burn is dealing with the after-burn. Unfortunately, there isn’t a cure for mouth burns, but there are a few things you can do to lessen the after burn. Often times, mouth burns will cause some soreness on the tongue or lips. Sometimes, it is difficult to taste flavors if your tongue sustained a burn. Here are several ways to ease the discomfort of mouth burns while they heal.

• Cool the burn:  Apply ice or cold water to the burn area as soon as possible. Coolness can reduce inflammation caused by a burn. Cooling a burn with ice can reduce the amount of tissue damage. Eating a Popsicle or ice cream can feel good to the burn and cheer you up! When applying ice or cool water, try keeping the coolness on the burn for at least 1 minute at a time.
• Numb the burn:  If ice is not helping try using a numbing gel, sore throat spray or even a cough drop that contains benzocaine. All of these products can help block the pain of a mouth burn. It is important to read the directions on all products to ensure you don’t overdo it.
• Avoid anything that will further irritate the burn:  Certain food and drinks can cause increased discomfort to a mouth burn. Avoid acidic foods like tomatoes, oranges and spicy foods. Your mouth will be especially sensitive to hot food and drinks while the burn is healing.

These tips will help but the true healer for a mouth burn is time.  On most occasions mouth burns usually heal relatively quickly.  If you think you have experienced a severe burn of any kind, seek professional medical attention right away.