Burn of the mucous membrane of the tongue: thermal, boiling water, hot, chemical, alcohol

How common is such a household injury as a tongue burn? In fact, it is a very common injury, which, however, most people try to treat at home without seeking medical help. Is it possible to do this, and in what cases is medical help simply necessary? And what can a person do on their own to alleviate their condition with a tongue burn?

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Epidemiology

Of all patients seeking medical help for tongue burns, 70% are children under 10 years old, and only up to 30% are adults. Such statistics are due, first of all, to the childish reflex to taste everything, as well as the negligent attitude of adults to safety measures in an apartment where children are present.

Adult patients most often get tongue burns due to carelessness.

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Causes tongue burn

A burn of the tongue can be caused by incorrectly assessing the temperature of food, drinks, or the temperature of steam (for example, during inhalation).

Chemical burns of the tongue are a consequence of accidental (usually) entry of chemically aggressive liquids – acids or alkalis – into the oral cavity.

Risk factors

The risk factors in this case are as follows:

• rushing during meals, which does not allow you to check the temperature of the food in advance;
• inattention during cooking and eating;
• eating while watching TV or in front of a computer monitor.

Medicine defines four types of burns that can also be applied to tongue burns:

• A thermal burn is caused by the tongue coming into contact with very hot foods, drinks, or hot objects.
• A chemical burn of the tongue is a consequence of a chemical agent, most often an acid or alkali, entering the oral cavity.
• An electrical burn of the tongue is associated with contact of the mucous membrane with an electric current.
• Radiation burn of the tongue is considered the rarest: it is associated with direct exposure of the mucous membrane to radiation.

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Pathogenesis

In addition to the tongue, other parts of the oral cavity may also be affected by a burn - the gums, pharynx. The degree of burn damage depends on the temperature of the damaging agent, the duration of its contact with the mucous membrane, or (if the burn is chemical) on the concentration of the chemically aggressive substance.

In severe cases, ulcers and erosions form on the mucous tissues, leading to tissue necrosis and perforation.

If we consider a chemical burn of the tongue, then most often such an injury is associated with the entry of caustic soda, sulfuric, hydrochloric, acetic acid concentrates into the oral cavity. In rarer cases, burns caused by phenol, iodine tincture, lysol, and corrosive sublimate are found.

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Symptoms tongue burn

Like other burns, tongue burns are divided into 4 degrees of severity.

1. At the first stage, swelling and redness of the tongue mucosa appear. As a rule, this stage does not require special treatment: such a burn goes away without a trace on its own.
2. At the second degree, blisters with liquid contents appear on the surface of the tongue. Such a tongue burn already requires medical intervention.
3. In the third degree, ulcers and areas of tissue necrosis appear at the site of the burn. This condition requires emergency medical care and pain relief.
4. In a fourth-degree burn, all soft tissues are affected with complete or partial charring. The possibility of preserving the organ in this case is not considered.

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First signs

The first signs of a tongue burn can vary in both appearance and sensation.

Most often, the tongue may appear red and swollen, with blisters containing liquid, or ulcers and pale areas of the mucous membrane. These signs depend on the degree of burn damage.

In particularly severe cases, the tissue layers darken and the victim experiences numbness or severe pain and burning.

If swelling and redness increase, the small papillae on the surface of the tongue may smooth out, and the surface itself will become glossy. Since the lingual papillae are responsible for taste sensations, they may temporarily change or disappear. The milder the degree of burn damage, the faster the taste buds will recover.

Additionally, the following symptoms may appear:

• burning sensation at the tip of the tongue;
• the appearance of an unpleasant taste (the taste of blood, metal, bitterness);
• the appearance of dry mouth;
• increased salivation.

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Thermal burn of the tongue

A person can get a thermal burn from exposure to high temperatures. The severity of the injury can vary: the mildest degree of severity of a thermal burn of the tongue is characterized by redness and slight swelling of its surface or tip. More severe cases are accompanied by deformation and coagulation of mucous tissues, and blisters with liquid contents or erosions remain at the site of the burn.

A thermal burn can be considered when the tongue is damaged by hot liquid, hot food, steam, fire or hot objects.

Burning tongue from hot tea

A burn of the tongue with boiling water or another hot liquid - in particular, tea - is related to thermal injuries of the tongue. The mucous tissues of the tongue and oral cavity are very sensitive to temperatures, and when exposed to hot liquid, thermal irritation of the tissues occurs, and when boiling water gets into the mouth - necrosis and detachment of the superficial mucous layers.

If the contact with hot liquid was short-term, the victim will feel numbness, pain and burning in the tongue, which usually disappears in 1-3 days. In case of a more serious injury, severe pain is felt, the tongue swells, it becomes difficult to move it and especially to speak. Sometimes swallowing and even breathing may be difficult. In such a situation, urgent medical attention is mandatory.

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Chemical burn of the tongue

A chemical burn is the result of concentrated chemicals coming into contact with the tongue. Firstly, chemical trauma is dangerous because the substance continues to destroy mucous tissues after it comes into contact with them until it is washed off with water or neutralized by another substance.

The chemical can enter the oral cavity accidentally or intentionally – for the purpose of self-poisoning and/or suicide.

Chemical damage can be acidic or alkaline, depending on the nature of the damaging substance.

A burn of the tongue with acid is considered a safer injury, in contrast to an alkali burn. The point is that acid, when in contact with mucous tissues, promotes the formation of a dense crust - a scab, which does not allow the chemical substance to penetrate into the deeper layers of tissue. An alkaline concentrate causes wet necrosis of tissues - such damage is always deep and difficult to treat.

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Burn of tongue with alcohol

Ethyl alcohol is a chemically active substance, and therefore a tongue burn with alcohol can be safely classified as a chemical burn. Not everyone gets alcohol burns and not always: most often, it is the owners of sensitive skin.

In most cases, alcohol burns are caused by accidental consumption of this liquid. The severity of the damage is assessed by the concentration of alcohol. The victim may feel pain in the tongue, mouth, and esophagus (if the alcohol was swallowed). Additional symptoms include difficulty swallowing, changes or loss of taste, general weakness, and dizziness.

Alcohol burns of the tongue almost always heal on their own, without medical intervention. However, if there is difficulty swallowing, breathing, if the patient has other suspicious symptoms, then a doctor's consultation should be immediate.

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Burn under the tongue

A burn of the mucous membrane under the tongue is often accompanied by the development of an inflammatory process, since this area of the oral cavity is very vulnerable: it is here that the sublingual salivary glands are located.

The burn may be accompanied by the appearance of painful swelling. The mucous membrane in this area turns red, thickens, and becomes glossy.

If you have a burn under your tongue, it is better to see a doctor, as this may result in the salivary glands not functioning properly. This, in turn, may lead to digestive problems, dry mouth, and other problems.

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Burnt tongue in a child

Burns of the tongue and oral cavity after contact of the mucous membrane with hot food or drinks most often occur in children. This happens, first of all, due to carelessness and inattention, and in small children - due to ignorance.

Of course, a child's mucous tissues are more tender and vulnerable than those of an adult. And even a slight exposure to elevated temperatures can lead to redness, irritation and burning of the mucous membrane. The child becomes capricious and whiny, complains of pain in the oral cavity.

This situation requires an urgent consultation with a pediatrician. Sometimes parents may mistake aphthous or herpetic stomatitis, scarlet fever or symptoms of banal vitamin deficiency for a burn. For this and many other reasons, a doctor's consultation should be mandatory, regardless of the child's age.

Complications and consequences

If you do not provide assistance in time, or do not carry out further treatment and care for the injured tongue, then an infection may penetrate the wound, which will lead to the development of an inflammatory process (inflammatory process in the tongue - glossitis).

A severe burn to the tongue can cause destruction of taste buds, which will subsequently lead to a loss of taste.

A tongue burn often results in loss of appetite or inability to eat. This, in turn, causes the victim to lose weight, have digestive problems, become irritable, and experience insomnia.

Restoring taste after a tongue burn

When the tongue is burned, there is often a loss of taste sensitivity due to traumatic damage to the taste buds. This phenomenon is usually temporary and resolves on its own depending on the degree of the burn:

• in case of superficial burn of the tongue – within 1-3 days;
• in case of deeper damage – within 1-2 weeks.

If areas of necrosis appear on the surface of the tongue, recovery may take much longer, and in severe cases taste sensitivity disappears altogether. However, such cases are still very rare.

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Diagnostics tongue burn

As a rule, in all cases, the diagnosis of a tongue burn is established based on a survey and examination of the victim. No additional studies are required.

Blood or urine tests may only be required in cases of extensive burn injuries to determine the presence of burn intoxication.

Other types of examinations may be used for combined burns, or to exclude the penetration of the damaging factor into the respiratory organs or digestive tract. This may include X-ray examination, fibrogastroscopy, etc.

Differential diagnostics are carried out between thermal, chemical and other types of tongue burns. Such diagnostics are important in cases where the patient cannot accurately indicate the cause of the burn (this often happens with chemical injuries).

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Treatment tongue burn

In the vast majority of cases, competent and timely first aid can simultaneously be the main part of treatment. For example, if, in case of a first-degree tongue burn, you immediately rinse your mouth with clean ice water, then further treatment may not be necessary. The only exception will be short-term adherence to a diet:

• until the mucous membrane is completely restored, you cannot drink hot liquids or eat hot food;
• You should not drink acidic liquids or eat acidic foods.

The fact is that hot and sour foods irritate damaged mucous tissues and slow down their recovery.

If the burn is more serious, you may need to seek medical attention.

The doctor will assess the depth of the tongue burn and prescribe appropriate treatment.

What to do if you burn your tongue?

In case of a tongue burn, help should be provided as quickly as possible. Actions and emergency measures are selected based on the cause of the burn injury.

• The first thing you should do if you burn your tongue is to thoroughly rinse your mouth with cool water.
• If the burn of the tongue is significant, then the mouth should be additionally treated with a disinfectant solution - for example, furacilin, a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
• If the tongue burn was caused by a chemical liquid, then rinsing with water is not enough:
  • the wound from an alkali burn is washed with a weak solution of citric acid or diluted vinegar (not essence);
  • The wound from an acid burn is washed with a solution of baking soda.

If the victim has received, in addition to a burn of the tongue, a burn of the esophagus or stomach, then medical assistance should be sought immediately.

• If the tongue burn is accompanied by severe pain, then the person needs to be given any analgesic - for example, analgin, ibuprofen, ketanol.

Medicines

To speed up the healing of a tongue burn, you can use the following medications:

	Method of administration and dosage	Side effects	Special instructions
Olazol aerosol	The drug is sprayed onto the affected mucosal surface 1 to 4 times a day, every day, or every other day.	Rarely, nausea, diarrhea, skin rashes, headaches occur.	Olazol should not be used during pregnancy.
Hepilor aerosol	Spray into the oral cavity 4 times a day, but not more than 5 days in a row.	A temporary change in taste, cough, dry mouth, and transient change in the color of the mucous membrane are possible.	Hepilor is not used to treat children under 6 years of age.
Chlorophyllipt spray	Spray over the surface of the tongue 3-4 times a day for 3-4 days.	Sometimes treatment may be accompanied by allergies, irritation of the oral mucosa, and nausea.	Chlorophyllipt may enhance the effect of other local antiseptics.
Miramistin solution	Use as a poultice, three times a day.	A short-term burning sensation is rarely observed.	Miramistin can be used during pregnancy.
Chlorhexidine solution	Use a 0.05% or 0.1% solution up to 3 times a day, in the form of rinses or irrigations.	Dryness of the mucous membranes, rashes, temporary changes in the color of tooth enamel, and temporary changes in taste are rarely observed.	The drug should not be used in combination with other antiseptic agents.

Physiotherapy treatment

Physiotherapy for tongue burns is rarely used and only under the supervision of a doctor. Not all procedures are permitted for this type of injury, and some of them can even complicate the condition of the victim.

Only the following physiotherapeutic methods can be beneficial:

• UFO irradiation is carried out through a tube with an oblique cut. The patient opens his mouth wide, the tongue is pressed to the bottom of the oral cavity. The UFO tube is directed to the area affected by the burn. If there are several such areas, then the irradiation is carried out sequentially. The course of UFO therapy is from 10 to 12 procedures.
• UHF is the use of an alternating electric field of ultra-high frequency (40 MHz). The maximum exposure time is 8-10 minutes. The duration of the UHF therapy course is determined by the doctor.

Folk remedies

A tongue burn is an injury that is most often received at home - for example, while eating or in other circumstances. No one is immune from such injuries, as they say. However, the home medicine cabinet does not always contain anti-burn remedies to provide first aid to the victim. What to do? No problem: folk, time-tested, remedies can come to the rescue.

• Firstly, it is very important to rinse your tongue and mouth with plenty of running cool water immediately after receiving a burn. If there is no cold water, you can use other non-acidic drinks from the refrigerator - for example, milk.
• Secondly, one of the effective ways to relieve the condition of a burnt tongue is to sprinkle it with granulated sugar or apply a compress - a cloth napkin soaked in sugar syrup.
• A healing and antiseptic effect can be achieved by smearing the burnt surface of the tongue with honey with a small amount of baking soda added. This method will not work if the burn was caused by exposure to an aggressive alkaline liquid.
• An excellent healing effect is achieved by lubricating the affected mucous membrane with sea buckthorn oil.

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Herbal treatment

Traditional medicine also involves the use of herbal preparations - based on medicinal herbs. However, such remedies are unlikely to be used as "first aid" preparations, since they require some time to prepare.

• Chamomile infusion is great for rinsing the mouth in case of burns. To prepare it, you need to steam 1 full tablespoon of chamomile flowers in 1 glass of boiling water, leave until cool. This infusion can be used up to 5 times a day.
• A decoction of oak bark is considered a good remedy for burns, as it has astringent and healing properties. To prepare the decoction, 20 g of bark is boiled for 15 minutes in 200 ml of water, and infused until cool. It is used for rinsing the mouth.
• Another effective remedy for tongue burns is a decoction of plantain seeds: two tablespoons of crushed seeds are poured with 200 ml of boiling water, mixed well. The resulting remedy can be used to rinse the affected mucous membrane.

Homeopathy

To treat a first- or second-degree tongue burn, you can use homeopathic remedies:

• Arnica 30 – 5 granules when pain occurs;
• Cantharis 6, 12 or 30 – hold 5 granules in the mouth every 30-60 minutes. As acute symptoms subside, the dose should be reduced to 2-3 times a day;
• Urtica urens 6, 12, 30 – 5 granules, 2 times a day.

For first aid for a tongue burn, homeopathic remedies such as Arnica 30 or Rescue Remedy spray are best suited. But remember that in case of severe or extensive burns, it is necessary to see a doctor.

Prevention

Since the majority of cases of tongue burns are recorded as domestic injuries, it is necessary to reduce the potential danger and reduce the risk of receiving this type of injury to a minimum.

• If children live in the apartment, it is necessary to control their access to hot drinks and food.
• Before offering food to your child, check its temperature.
• If you reheat food in a microwave, let it sit for a few minutes after reheating to allow the temperature of the food to even out. Microwaves tend to heat food unevenly.
• You should not eat food directly from the pot or pan in which it was cooked or heated.
• Any chemicals should be stored separately from other medications and especially from food products. Each bottle or can of chemicals should be labeled, depending on the contents. It is necessary to strictly control that children cannot get to the place where such chemicals are stored.
• A person must constantly control himself, and even more so when in a state of alcoholic intoxication - after all, it is in this state that people most often get tongue burns.

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Forecast

Most tongue burns have a favorable course and prognosis. If a third-degree burn has spread to the entire oral mucosa, then such a case is considered severe, and a fourth-degree burn is unfavorable in relation to the life of the victim.

The worst prognosis is associated with burns of the tongue, combined with burns of the oral cavity, esophagus and/or respiratory tract.

How long does it take for a tongue burn to go away?

A superficial burn of the tongue heals fairly quickly – in 1-3 days. More severe burns – for example, with swelling and the formation of fluid-filled blisters – heal within 1-3 weeks, depending on the depth of tissue damage.