Heal Your Sore Tongue With These Simple Steps

Having a sore tongue may result in symptoms such as pain, a burning sensation, or dryness of the tongue. There are different causes of a sore tongue, including biting or burning your tongue, infections such as the fungal infection oral thrush, mouth ulcers, and burning mouth syndrome, also known as glossodynia or burning tongue syndrome. 

In some cases, the source of a sore tongue is unknown. Depending on your symptoms and a possible medical diagnosis, there are different treatments that to soothe a sore tongue and relieve related discomfort.

Rinse a bitten tongue with cold water. If you’ve bitten your tongue, rinse it off with cold water. This can remove any dirt, food, blood, or debris from the area and help prevent an infection.

• If you have bitten all the way through your tongue, make sure to get to your doctor as soon as possible.
• Once you’ve rinsed the tongue with cold water, you can try sucking on some ice to help with swelling and pain.

Suck on an ice cube or ice pop. Suck on an ice cube or ice pop if you have pain and/ or burning sensation on your tongue. The cold will help to numb any feelings of pain, reduce swelling, and make your tongue feel more comfortable.

• Sucking on an ice cube can be especially soothing if you’ve bitten or burned your tongue.
• The melting liquid will also help you stay hydrated and prevent your tongue from drying out, which can make pain from a bitten or burnt tongue worse.

Use a salt water mouth rinse. A warm rinse with salt water will clean your tongue and may help relieve the pain of a sore tongue. You can rinse every couple of hours until your pain and discomfort ease.

• Add one tablespoon of salt to a glass of warm water and stir to dissolve. Swish a mouthful around 30 seconds, concentrating on the sore area of the tongue. Spit out the water when you're done.

Avoid consuming anything that could aggravate a sore tongue. When suffering from a sore tongue, it's a good idea to avoid consuming anything that may make the pain worse, such as spicy or acidic foods or tobacco. Although this won't speed up the healing process, it will likely make you more comfortable.

• Eat soft, soothing and even cooling foods that won't aggravate your tongue as you eat, such as smoothies, porridge and soft fruits like bananas. Yogurt and ice cream are also good options because they are cooling and soothing.
• Acidic foods and beverages, such as tomatoes, orange juice, soft drinks and coffee can make your pain worse. Also avoid cinnamon and mint, which can increase your discomfort.
• Try toothpaste that is formulated for sensitive teeth or something without mint or cinnamon.
• Don’t smoke cigarettes or chew tobacco, which can exacerbate your discomfort.

Drink more fluids. Make sure that you’re staying hydrated throughout the day. Not only will this help ease the feeling of a dry mouth, but it also can help speed the healing process.

• Drink plenty of cool water or juices to keep your mouth moist.
• Try to avoid hot beverages like coffee or tea so that they don’t worsen the burning or painful sensations on your tongue.
• Avoid caffeine or alcohol, which can irritate your tongue.