Does Burning Your Tongue Affect Your Taste Long Term?

We've all had that moment in which we've been too impatient with a hot slice from one of America's many regional pizza styles or a steaming cup of coffee and come away with a painfully scalded tongue. It's hard not to let the panic set in, since you know you'll be nursing that hurt for a few days. And depending on how badly you were burned, you might be worried that you've done some permanent damage, considering that the cheese felt like actual lava.

Fortunately, our bodies warn us not to do dangerous things, so in most cases, the damage is minimal. The majority of tongue burns are first-degree, meaning you've only really affected the top layer of tissue, which can look angry and red. First-degree burns are ones you can handle at home with cool beverages or smooth foods (pudding, yogurt, sucking on ice and drinking cool water, which helps here but not with overly spicy food), and taking it easy on your mouth. 

If the burn is distracting, over-the-counter pain medication might help, too. That being said, the good news is that if you've done any damage to your precious taste buds, they'll regenerate after one to two weeks, after which any dullness in flavor perception should eventually return to normal. You'll be okay.

Unfortunately, some burns can have rougher results, though this is fairly rare. A second-degree burn is more serious; not only does it manifest itself with redness, that deeper tissue injury can also end up causing blisters. A third-degree burn is even more rare, and goes all the way into the inner parts of your tongue, which will actually look black, as if the tissue was charred, or maybe even white.

Second- and third-degree burns are extremely serious, and require medical attention. But whether you're in excruciating pain or just concerned about a serious burn, a trip to the doctor for guidance and care is your best bet. Again, most of the time there is no need to panic, since we almost never experience tongue burns to this degree. So if you've just slurped the soup you made on the stove during a heatwave (which is what we all should do) and regretted it, you'll most likely be fine with no permanent damage. You just need to stick it out for a week or two and you should be okay after that.