Heal your burnt tongue quickly with these effective home remedies

Chugging that steaming cup of coffee or digging into pizza straight from the oven is a surefire way to give yourself a painful burnt tongue. However, that tender, sensitive sensation will usually resolve within 10-14 days as new cells grow to replace the singed ones. In the meantime as you wait for your tender tongue to heal, here's what you can do to help soothe the pain and sensitivity. During such situations, the tongue becomes numb for a while and cannot feel the taste. This is because exposure to too much heat over the tongue fades the taste buds and papillae (rough texture on the tongue surface).

Home remedies to soothe a burnt tongue

1. Consume a cool substance immediately

Remember that if you chill the burnt tongue quickly after the “hot” incident, the injured tongue will heal quickly. Similar to pouring tongue on the burnt skin to cool down the burnt region, you should cool down the burning sensation in the tongue. Drinking some water is the primary thing to be done after such events.

2. Turmeric

We Indians can’t do without our turmeric. It has to be in almost all our foods, to enhance colour, taste and nutrition factor. The anti-inflammatory properties of this superfood can be very effective to soothe inflammation on the tongue. Make a simple turmeric paste by combining 1-2 tablespoons of milk with 1/4 teaspoon of honey. Apply the mixture to the tongue using your finger or an earbud and leave it on for about 10 minutes. Rinse your mouth carefully afterwards.

3. Rinse with saltwater solution

Salt is a natural antiseptic and it can neutralize the acids to provide relief from the burning sensation. Swishing mouth with salt water solution is an ancient remedy and it is still in practice to cure cavities, tooth pain, gum diseases and various dental ailments. Take a glass of warm water and add 2-3 teaspoon salt. Stir it well. Gargle your mouth with this solution after cooling the burnt tongue.

4. Avoid consuming irritants

Consuming certain types of food and drinks can further irritate a burnt tongue. Stefanac says you should avoid things like Hot drinks, alcohol, spicy foods. These can all cause discomfort to a burnt tongue. Alcohol is both an irritant and can delay healing of the injured cells. Spicy foods don't affect healing but can make a sore tongue more painful.

5. Consume milk products

Milk products can make a burnt tongue feel better because they coat the tongue and also have a cooling effect, says Stefanac. To reap the benefits, try eating yogurt or drinking milk.