
Surely, it has ever happened to you that, after eating a very hot or acidic food such as pineapple, your tongue burns and after a while you become numb. Although this does not usually lead to serious health problems, it is very unpleasant, because the tongue bothers you and the food does not taste like anything.
In those moments, you may very well wonder how to remove scalded from the tongue fast, so at OneHOWTO we bring you the best known and most effective home remedies to alleviate this discomfort, remove the burning on the tongue and help you heal as quickly as possible.
Why is the tongue scalding?
Do you wonder why your tongue feels scalded? There are many reasons that cause scalding on the tongue, but they can be summarized in two main blocks: the reaction of this organ to certain sudden external factors, and recurrent or chronic health problems. In medical parlance, these situations are known as primary burning mouth syndrome and secondary burning mouth syndrome. In this case, we will refer exclusively to when these conditions affect the language.
Primary burning mouth syndrome occurs by a damage to the nerves that control pain and taste. This syndrome is not associated with disease and generally arises suddenly as a result of an accident or bad practice. The two most common causes are:
- Irritation: it can be caused by some food, medicine or oral hygiene product consumed in large quantities or incorrectly. For example, brushing your tongue too hard or too many times, using a very abrasive toothpaste or rinse, eating a lot of pineapple or spicy, etc.
- Burn: it usually happens, if you consume a very hot food (drinks or food). These injuries can be mild (first degree burn) or much more severe (second and third degree burn). In the first case, you can treat yourself at home but in the second, you need to go immediately to the doctor, and before leaving, you can apply first aid.
Secondary burning mouth syndrome refers to health conditions in which a constant burning or very recurrent in any area of the mouth. The cause of this syndrome is not yet clear, but it is suspected to be related to some of the following:
- Problems with salivary gland function.
- Side effects of cancer treatments.
- Oral problems (infections or other types of conditions).
- Nutritional deficiencies
- Allergies or reactions to certain products (medicines, food or hygiene products).
- Gastric reflux.
- Endocrine disorders.
- Psychological factors.
- Use of dentures.
- Hormonal imbalances.
- Oral habits (for example, biting the tip of the tongue).
If you suffer from a constant burning sensation, we recommend visiting your GP to understand the reasons for your condition.
If you have burned your tongue after consuming a very hot food or have suffered a similar accident, you can relieve the pain and heal faster with the home remedies for burnt tongue that we bring you next. Keep in mind that these remedies only apply to mild tongue burnsIf you have suffered serious accidents, you should see a doctor as soon as possible.

Apply cold
Cold helps reduce inflammation of the scalded tongue and also relieves pain. This method will serve you both for irritation and for minor burns of the tongue (if they are severe, use better water, and apply it only as primary care before going to the doctor). With that said, follow the directions below:
- Fill a glass with very cold water or milk. If you don’t have milk in the fridge, add ice to cool it down quickly. Use water instead of milk if the burn is severe.
- Rinse off with the cold water or milk. Swish and hold for 10 minutes. Repeat the remedy every 30 minutes to 1 hour until you feel relief.
- Avoid applying ice directly to the area, because it can make the situation worse (ice burns cold).
Honey
There are many benefits of honey, but in this case it is important to know that honey is a very effective natural healing, in addition, it also works as a bactericide and anti-inflammatory. If you use it to cure scalded tongue, do it like this:
- Place 1 tablespoon of natural honey on the tongue and spread it over the affected area.
- Leave it there until it dissolves. Wait as long as you can before swallowing it.
- Repeat the operation every half hour to an hour until the injury improves.

Papaya
Papaya contains enzymes that not only facilitate digestion, but also help burned skin, soothing and regenerating it. To use it as one of the scalded tongue remedies, just follow these 2 steps:
- Apply it as a puree on the affected area or, simply chew it well and leave it on your tongue.
- Wait till it dissolves or swallow it.
- Repeat the treatment until you feel improvement.

Chamomile
The infusion of chamomile has bactericidal and anti-inflammatory power, so it is an excellent natural remedy to improve burns on the tongue. To soothe a scalded tongue with chamomile infusion, just follow these guidelines:
- Submerge two sachets of chamomile infusion in a cup of boiling water.
- Refrigerate the infusion in the fridge, until cool as much as possible.
- Once cold place one of the tea bags on the lesion. Leave it for a while or what you can hold.
- Alternate the sachets and repeat the process for 15 minutes.
Chamomile is one of the plants most used in health treatments, discover why in what are the medicinal properties of chamomile.
Milk or yogurt
The fatty and lactic acids in both milk and yogurt have soothing properties that soothe wounds. So if you ask yourself what to wear if you have a scalded tongue, these two products can be your great allies. Follow any of these options to apply this home remedy:
- Rinse your mouth with a glass of cold milk. Hold each crop for a few minutes.
- Apply 1 tablespoon of yogurt on the lesion. It will be even more effective if you mix it with 1 tablespoon of honey. Leave for 10 minutes.
- In both cases, if you don’t feel relief, repeat the treatment after 30 minutes.
- This remedy it is not advisable in cases of severe burns.
aloe vera
Aloe Vera or Aloe Vera is a medicinal plant that has anti-inflammatory, soothing and regenerative properties that are especially beneficial for the skin. For this reason, it is ideal for curing a scalded tongue and with just a few steps you can feel relief from irritation:
- Open a leaf of aloe vera and remove the gel.
- Smear it directly on the tongue.
- Hang in there for a few minutes. Despite its bitter taste, you will feel almost instant relief.
- Rinse the tongue and don’t swallow the gel.
- Repeat this treatment until you feel better.
If this is the first time you open an aloe leaf, here we tell you how to cut aloe vera leaves.

Sugar
Sugar is cash healing and bactericidal. So if you have a scalded tongue, you will find instant relief with this home remedy, just put the following indications into practice:
- Sprinkle some sugar over the injury (1 tablespoon).
- Press the tongue against the roof of the mouth until the sugar dissolves.
- Repeat the treatment every 30 minutes or 1 hour until you feel relief.
Water with salt
Salt water has healing effect. So if you’re wondering how to get the scalded off your tongue, with this method, simply add 1 teaspoon of salt to a glass of water and rinse your mouth.
Physiological serum
Saline solution is used to clean superficial wounds or burns, as well as for the treatment of periodontal disease and surgical treatments related to the gums. Therefore, it is very effective to use it in the mouth and on the tongue to treat minor burns.
If you use saline solution to relieve scalded tongue, rinse your mouth with a glass of saline solution. Wait 30 minutes and repeat the process until you feel relief on your tongue.
If you do not have it at home, you can prepare your own serum by following the steps that we leave you in How to make homemade physiological serum.

Vinegar
Vinegar contains acetic acid, which helps to relieve irritation caused by burns on the tongue. So if you need to relieve a scalded tongue, this remedy will help you.
Just mix a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar or common vinegar in a glass of water, you can also add 1 tablespoon of baking soda. Rinse your mouth with the mixture.
Tips to Relieve Scalded Tongue Faster
The burning sensation of tongue can be very unpleasant and, although it does not last for long (about 3-6 days), it is normal that we want to remove it as soon as possible to enjoy food without discomfort. While all these natural remedies will help you, it is important that you take these tips into account so as not to worsen skin irritability:
- Do not drink alcohol or tobacco, as they increase irritation on the tongue.
- Eliminate acidic, spicy or very hot foods.
- Do not eat crunchy foods, as they can scratch your …