How to Treat a Burn on the Roof of Your Mouth

Your external skin isn’t the only area of your body that can be burned. A bite into a hot piece of pizza can burn your hard palate, also known as the roof of your mouth, and a sip of piping hot coffee or a bite into oven-fresh food can burn your tongue.

The tissues in your mouth are more susceptible to burns because they’re especially delicate and thin. In order to appreciate the sensations of eating and drinking, this skin needs to be delicate. It can be easily damaged as a result.

Read on to learn more about how to treat burns in your mouth.

How to treat minor burns on the roof of your mouth

First-degree burns (or minor burns) on the roof of your mouth don’t require medical attention. In fact, treating most minor mouth burns is simple. Here are some common treatments you can use at home.

Food and drink

Sip something cool or frozen, such as ice, to help relieve pain. Some drinks, such as milk, coat the inside of your mouth. They provide a layer of relief that water can’t.

Foods that might help include:

• sugarless gum
• smooth, creamy foods such as yogurt, ice cream, sour cream, and cheeses
• cold or frozen foods such as ice pops, pudding, and applesauce

While you’re healing, avoid crunchy foods or foods that have sharp edges or ends. These foods can aggravate the skin. Avoid hot or spicy foods, too. Opt for cool, soft foods until your mouth burns heal.

Mouth rinses

Infections from minor mouth burns are rare. However, saltwater rinses can help with mouth pain and have been shown to promote wound healing.

Prepare the rinse by dissolving 1/2 teaspoon of salt in 8 ounces of lukewarm water. You can repeat the rinse several times per day.

Over-the-counter medications

You can take an over-the-counter (OTC) pain medication to help ease the pain and inflammation.

Common OTC medications include ibuprofen (Advil), acetaminophen (Tylenol), and benzocaine (Orajel). Be sure to follow the dosage instructions on the package.

Aloe vera

Aloe vera can soothe a skin burn, and it can be used orally as well. However, there is currently no research proving aloe vera’s usefulness in the treatment of mouth burns.

Look for mouth rinses that contain aloe vera extract, such as these options online. Aloe vera can also be found in gel and juice form.

What to avoid while healing

Your mouth usually heals fully in about a week. To help speed up the healing process, you can try avoiding:

• acidic foods and drinks like tomatoes, orange juice, and coffee
• spicy foods
• products with mint or cinnamon
• alcohol and tobacco products

How to know if a mouth burn is severe

First-degree burns cause minimal skin damage. They are also called “superficial burns” because they affect the outermost layer of skin. Signs of a first-degree burn include:

• redness
• minor swelling
• pain
• dry, peeling skin that occurs as the burn heals

A more severe burn, such as a second- or third-degree burn, requires immediate medical attention. Symptoms of these burns include:

• severe pain
• blistering
• swelling
• redness

In addition to blisters, you may notice pockets of pus if an infection develops in your mouth.

A third-degree burn can affect nerves in your mouth and damage other structures. The affected nerves may be unable to relay pain signals to your brain. These types of burns can cause severe complications.

Burning mouth syndrome

You may feel a burning sensation in your mouth, and it may not have any obvious cause. If this pain continues for days or months at a time, you might have burning mouth syndrome (BMS).

Some common symptoms of BMS include:

• burning or scalding pain in the mouth for no clear reason
• numbness in the mouth
• dry mouth
• metallic, bitter, or other unusual tastes in the mouth
• pain or numbness in the tongue, lips, or gums

BMS makes you feel as if you’ve burned or scalded the tissues in your mouth, but there aren’t any noticeable skin changes. It can be mild or painful, like you’ve bitten into something extremely hot. It may last for days on end without stopping, or it can appear only every few days or months.

There are two types of BMS: Primary BMS isn’t caused by another medical condition and may result from damaged nerve pathways, while secondary is caused by medical conditions such as:

• diabetes
• thyroid issues
• vitamin deficiency
• mouth infection
• cancer therapy
• acid reflux
• trauma

If you feel burning in your mouth for an extended period of time, ask your doctor to test you for BMS. They may use several different tests, including blood tests, tissue biopsies, saliva tests, or allergy tests.

Treatments for BMS depend on the cause. There isn’t a cure, but your doctor may recommend the following treatments:

• lidocaine or other topical medications
• clonazepam, an anticonvulsant
• oral medications for nerve pain
• cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to soothe the pain

When to see a doctor

In some instances, your mouth burn may become so painful that home remedies don’t provide any relief. You may have a severe burn if:

• sores or white patches appear in your mouth
• you develop a fever
• the burn isn’t healing quickly
• you have difficulty swallowing

Seek medical treatment for burns with any of these symptoms. Burns may require emergency room treatment or an in-office visit, depending on severity.

When in doubt, call your doctor or go to an urgent care center. Describe your symptoms, what treatments you have tried, and how well they worked. You and your doctor can decide on the best course of treatment.

If you have a severe burn, antibiotics may be necessary to fight off bacterial infections in your mouth. Some common antibiotics used include penicillin, amoxicillin, oxacillin, cefazolin, and ampicillin.

If there is severe damage to the oral cavity or surrounding structures, your doctor may need to perform a skin graft or other surgeries to restore function to the area.

Mouth burns in children

If your child gets a first-degree burn in their mouth, treat the burn like you would for an adult. Start by giving them milk or other cold or frozen liquids and give them appropriate doses of medicines like ibuprofen and acetaminophen. Use benzocaine sparingly, as it has been shown to cause rare but serious side effects.

The skin may peel for a few days before it starts healing, and it may cause your child a lot of pain and discomfort. If the symptoms don’t improve after two days, take your child to the doctor.

If your child gets a second- or third-degree burn or has pus leaking from the burn, take them to the doctor immediately for treatment and a full assessment. They can also evaluate if there is damage to the nerves or any other tissues.

The bottom line

Most mild mouth burns can be treated at home and go away in a matter of days. You can manage them at home with cold drinks and OTC pain medication.

Severe mouth burns might need long-term treatments to preserve skin tissue and help heal the nerves inside your mouth. If you think you may have a severe burn, it’s a good idea to contact a doctor.