# What Should I put on My Tongue ::I just bit the heck out of it:: **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 15, 2001, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-put-on-my-tongue-i-just-bit-the-heck-out-of-it/87531 "2001-10-15T18:39:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Wildest\_Bill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Wildest\_Bill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wildest_Bill)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2001, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-put-on-my-tongue-i-just-bit-the-heck-out-of-it/87531/1 "2001-10-15T18:39:19Z")
I need some advice quick. I just bit my tongue(literally this time) at lunch. I mean I bit it bad. I really don’t want to get stitches. What would y’all suggest? Somebody told me to gargle with saltwater seems like that would hurt. Any other suggestions? I just took an oxycotin so I am not in alot pain right now but man when it wears off then what? Man, these things(pills) are strong btw. ---
**Author:** ![Violet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ebca7d/32.png) [@Violet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Violet)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2001, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-put-on-my-tongue-i-just-bit-the-heck-out-of-it/87531/2 "2001-10-15T18:41:09Z")
Ice. ---
**Author:** ![Andy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/aeb1de/32.png) [@Andy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2001, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-put-on-my-tongue-i-just-bit-the-heck-out-of-it/87531/3 "2001-10-15T18:41:49Z")
If you go for stitches, don’t wear smart clothes. When I did this, they stitched my tongue to my shirt so they could get to the back of it and patch it up without me reflexively retracting it. The blood and stitches made quite a mess. Curiously though, I never found it that painful. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2001, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-put-on-my-tongue-i-just-bit-the-heck-out-of-it/87531/4 "2001-10-15T18:48:34Z")
The tongue is one of the fastest healing parts of the body. Unless you are faced with a huge tearing gash in the tongue (not just a hole in it you puched with your teeth) just let it heal naturally. ---
**Author:** ![Wildest\_Bill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Wildest\_Bill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wildest_Bill)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2001, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-put-on-my-tongue-i-just-bit-the-heck-out-of-it/87531/5 "2001-10-15T19:25:07Z")
Thanks astro and violet. Andy you have got to be kidding right? ---
**Author:** ![Delta-9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3be4f8/32.png) [@Delta-9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Delta-9)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2001, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-put-on-my-tongue-i-just-bit-the-heck-out-of-it/87531/6 "2001-10-15T19:52:50Z")
Wildest Bill bites his tongue. . . Meanwhile in hell. . . “Sure is cold down here.” 🙂 Sorry, Bill, couldn’t resist. Ice cream. Lotsa ice cream will fix you right up. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2001, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-put-on-my-tongue-i-just-bit-the-heck-out-of-it/87531/7 "2001-10-15T20:06:33Z")
A while back a bit a huge chunk out of the _center_ of my tongue. Don’t even know how I did it and my dentist couldn’t figure it out either. If you’d like to sterilzie the wound your dentist or doctor can prescribe a mouth rinse of Chlorahexidine Gluconate to swish around. (The brand name is Peridex, I get the generic and it costs $5 for a big bottle). salt water is practically free but it probably _will_ hurt. The tongue does heal remarkably fast, as someone has already mentioned though. I chomped a hole about the size of a M&M (not clear through the tongue) and within a day the loose flap of skin had started to put itself back together. Today, no scar. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2001, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-put-on-my-tongue-i-just-bit-the-heck-out-of-it/87531/8 "2001-10-15T23:26:28Z")
First off-OUCH!!! Oh my god-I’ve accidentally bitten my tongue before-who hasn’t and Oh, THE PAIN!!! You could try, if it bothers you, Ambesol-go easy on it, though-it’s pretty icky stuff. (Mouth numbing gel or liquid-tastes terrible, though). ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2001, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-put-on-my-tongue-i-just-bit-the-heck-out-of-it/87531/9 "2001-10-16T00:01:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Delta-9 \* > \*\* > Ice cream. Lotsa ice cream will fix you right up. \*\* I’ve found ice cream is also good for colds, fevers, flu, diarrhea, bruises, scrapes, strep throat, food poisoning, toothache, sports injuries, chicken pox, measles, mumps, polio, cancer, Lou Gehrig’s Disease, muscular dystrophy, bipolar disorder, lupus, rattlesnake bites, gunshot wounds, fractures, strokes, heart attacks, blood clots, pnemonia, ski mishaps, depression, ADHD, and losing at Scrabble. Let’s be honest; ice cream works for everything! ---
**Author:** ![festiva76](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8e8cbc/32.png) [@festiva76](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/festiva76)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2001, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-put-on-my-tongue-i-just-bit-the-heck-out-of-it/87531/10 "2001-10-16T02:32:51Z")
Dang…for some Oxycontin, I’ll bite my own tongue. Oops…I think I just did:) ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2001, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-put-on-my-tongue-i-just-bit-the-heck-out-of-it/87531/11 "2001-10-16T04:21:22Z")
My dentist says that two things are generally safe for mouth wounds…salt water or peroxide. It seemed like I was always biting chunks out of my cheeks after getting dental work done. The salt water solution he recommended was about 1/2 teaspoon salt to 6 ounces of very warm water. Swish and swish and swish. This is a weak solution, and it never bothered my wounds, other than being rather soothing. Just don’t drink much of it. ---
**Author:** ![Andy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/aeb1de/32.png) [@Andy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2001, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-put-on-my-tongue-i-just-bit-the-heck-out-of-it/87531/12 "2001-10-16T07:37:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Wildest Bill \* > Thanks astro and violet. Andy you have got to be kidding right? No, not at all. I bit through my tongue in a rugby game, and it was fairly gushing blood. The flow pretty much stopped within about 10 minutes or so, but any movement (eg talking) and it would start up again. So I headed off to casualty, they tucked my shirt thoroughly into my shorts, and stitched the end of my tongue to my shirt. Very odd huh? Not sure if it’s still standard clinical practice, although this was fifteen years ago. It was, however, the NHS :eek: ---
**Author:** ![GilaB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8e7dd6/32.png) [@GilaB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GilaB)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2001, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-put-on-my-tongue-i-just-bit-the-heck-out-of-it/87531/13 "2001-10-16T16:35:51Z")
Why the hell are you taking oxycontin? That stuff is for pain several orders of magnitude above bitten toungues. It’s also addictive, highly regulated, and shouldn’t be used except when there isn’t anything else out there. ---
**Author:** ![NotMrKnowItAll](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/6bbea6/32.png) [@NotMrKnowItAll](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NotMrKnowItAll)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2001, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-put-on-my-tongue-i-just-bit-the-heck-out-of-it/87531/14 "2001-10-16T16:51:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by GilaB \* > \*\*Why the hell are you taking oxycontin? That stuff is for pain several orders of magnitude above bitten toungues. It’s also addictive, highly regulated, and shouldn’t be used except when there isn’t anything else out there. \*\* Uhh, that was a joke. Ha Ha, funny. smiley facy stuff 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Wildest\_Bill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Wildest\_Bill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wildest_Bill)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2001, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-put-on-my-tongue-i-just-bit-the-heck-out-of-it/87531/15 "2001-10-16T17:09:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by GilaB \* > \*\*Why the hell are you taking oxycontin? That stuff is for pain several orders of magnitude above bitten toungues. It’s also addictive, highly regulated, and shouldn’t be used except when there isn’t anything else out there. \*\* Well, that is the exact reason I am taking it. I have nothing else. If the govt wasn’t so whacked about prescription pain pills, I would have gladly taken a perc, hydrocodone or a demoral in its place. It was too strong for tongue bite(even though I bit the heck out of it) I grant you that I felt funny all afternoon but still it was pretty relaxing and I am glad I had it. I am a pain wuss. Please don’t ever let someone torture me. I would tell them everything as soon as they asked. 😉 Oh and thanks for the empathy Guin. And thanks lynn for the answer I have some peroxide at home. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2001, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-put-on-my-tongue-i-just-bit-the-heck-out-of-it/87531/16 "2001-10-16T18:15:53Z")
Oooh! Anabolic steroids to induce pre-psychosis rage, and oxycodone to deaden the pain of trauma attained in said rage; what a combo! Seriously, you’ve gotten good advice as regards the tongue. Suturing isn’t necessary unless there’s dangly bits or a gaping hole. I was in a plane crash years ago, and bit a hole thru the center of my tongue which needed suturing. I’ve also repaired a few bitten tongues, which would have ended up forked if the loose ends hadn’t been tacked down to the appropriate places. FWIW, I took tylenol for my drug pain! (I really wish they’d have offered me morphine tho) ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2001, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-put-on-my-tongue-i-just-bit-the-heck-out-of-it/87531/17 "2001-10-16T18:26:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Qadgop the Mercotan \* > \*\*I’ve also repaired a few bitten tongues, which would have ended up forked if the loose ends hadn’t been tacked down to the appropriate places. > \*\* Like this guy? [http://bmeworld.com/amago/Resources/mods/tongue2.jpg](http://bmeworld.com/amago/Resources/mods/tongue2.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2001, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-put-on-my-tongue-i-just-bit-the-heck-out-of-it/87531/18 "2001-10-16T18:36:47Z")
Sure fix for mouth, and/or tongue pain: Soak affected area in ice-cold solution of ethanol, hops and barley. As solution will quickly warm while stored in mouth, dispose of solution by swallowing while still cold. Repeat…alot\* [sub]\*I should not have to say this, but above procedure is contra-indicated if user has ingested oxy-contin. ---
**Author:** ![Wildest\_Bill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Wildest\_Bill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wildest_Bill)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2001, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-put-on-my-tongue-i-just-bit-the-heck-out-of-it/87531/19 "2001-10-16T18:49:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Qadgop the Mercotan \* > Oooh! Anabolic steroids to induce pre-psychosis rage, and oxycodone to deaden the pain of trauma attained in said rage; what a combo! Really I don’t rage out. I handle my temper just fine. ::well except sometimes when I debating with Ben or Esprix. 😉 > [@](#): > > FWIW, I took tylenol for my drug pain! (I really wish they’d have offered me morphine tho) See am I so different? Nobody should have to deal with extreme pain when there is medicine to fix it. Right? ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2001, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-put-on-my-tongue-i-just-bit-the-heck-out-of-it/87531/20 "2001-10-16T19:16:19Z")
**WB** , in the plane crash I sustained a severely fractured humerus, or upper arm bone. A large flap of scalp was torn away down to the bone. My lower teeth were driven thru my mouth under my lower lip. I had a metal rod stab me in the thigh, and go in over 6 inches deep. And I bit my tongue. And you know what? The tongue injury was _more painful_ by far than all the other injuries combined!!! The tongue was so swollen I couldn’t even close my mouth, or talk. My arms were bandaged and immobilized. So I couldn’t talk or write! I couldn’t say I was in a hell of a lot of pain, so I didn’t get pain meds. This was the early 70’s, remember, when not a lot of emphasis was put on pain control. I think that was one reason I went into medicine, so I could be sure and get pain meds when I wanted them. So yes, for that type of injury, if I’d seen you, I’d not have hesitated to give you hydrocodone, or even oxycodone. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-put-on-my-tongue-i-just-bit-the-heck-out-of-it/87531.md?page=2)