Hot Pizza Palate Burns

Rather than eating cold pizza, most people prefer it piping hot. Because of this, there isn’t a person on earth that hasn’t burned the roof of their mouth by biting into a hot pizza too early. It even has a term. It’s called “pizza palate,” and it’s the name given to any time you burn your palate whether by a cheese pizza or a scalding cup of coffee. While other foods and drink can do the same damage, the term was coined because of the universality of the experience happening by eating pizza.

Because the tissues in your mouth are made for appreciating eating and drinking, they + are more delicate and thin. A pizza palate burn can leave your hard palate blistered and in tatters. The good new is that these types of burns are rarely severe and injuries inside the mouth heal quickly—usually within three to seven days. Some things you can do to ease the pain while healing are:

• Sip something cool.
• Suck on ice.
• Drink milk to coat the inside of the mouth and provide some relief.
• Use a topical anesthetic OTC (over-the-counter) like benzocaine.
• Take an OTC pain medication for pain or swelling (aspirin, ibuprofen, acetaminophen).
• Avoid crunchy, gritty or hard foods that might irritate the area.
• Avoid spicy foods or sauces.
• Rinse with salt water.
• Aloe vera is a soothing natural gel that can be taken orally.

If you’ve burned your palate and would like to see someone, call Dr. Prabha Raju for more information. Please contact Tender Dental Care to make an appointment at 810-715-3368, or come by our office in Burton, Michigan.