That means some supplement products may not contain what the label says.

Kathrin Ziegler / Getty Images

1.

Smoking

Smokingirritates the tongue, making it harder for your tongue to heal.

Woman wetting her toothbrush under sink

Kathrin Ziegler / Getty Images

Consider avoiding or limiting foods and drinks that could be irritating.

Saltwater Rinse

Saltwater rinses help maintain good oral hygiene, prevent infection, and ease pain from sores.

Gargle for around 30 seconds and spit out.

Herbal Remedies

If inflammation is causing tongue pain, sage mouth rinses may help.

Sage has demonstrated anti-inflammatory properties.Other herbal remedies for oral hygiene currently under study include:

7.

Honey

Applying honey to the sore can also help ease pain and promote healing.

One meta-analysis found consuming honey after a tonsillectomy significantly reduced pain and promoted healing.

Avoid using honey for children under a year old.

Options can include:

Medical Treatment

Medical treatments for sore tongue target the underlying cause.

Exact symptoms and characteristics depend on the cause.

If you have returning or worsening symptoms, it’s time to contact a healthcare provider.

Tongue Cancer

Tongue cancer cases have trended upward in recent years.

Summary

Home remedies often bring relief to symptoms sparked by a sore tongue.

you’re able to reduce pain with good oral hygiene, herbal remedies, and medications.

Some cases of sore tongue signal underlying chronic health conditions requiring medical treatment.

Severe injuries and cases involving high fever require immediate care.

National Health Service.Sore or white tongue.

Yale School of Medicine.Toothbrushing and infection prevention: Q and A with Rupak Datta.

University of California at Los Angeles.Brushing your tongue could have adverse health effects.

Shindo T.Median rhomboid glossitis due to tongue-brushing.Cleve Clin J Med.

2022 Feb;8(1):449-456. doi:10.1002/cre2.489.

Pearl Point Cancer Support.Nutrition tips for managing sore mouth, throat, and tongue.

2016;11(7):e0159843.

2016;273(4):811-818. doi:10.1007/s00405-014-3433-4

National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research.Fever blisters and canker sores.

Johns Hopkins Medicine.Oral Herpes.

2024 Jan 5;304:123321. doi:10.1016/j.saa.2023.123321

Medline Plus.Pilocarpine.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Strep throat: All you better know.

2022 Dec 30;15:769-772. doi:10.2147/IMCRJ.S399020

Kaiser Permanente.Tongue Injury: Care Instructions.

American Cancer Society.Mouth sores and pain.

University of Rochester Medical Center.Herpes simplex virus (HSV) mouth infection.

2024 May 20;42(15):1745-1753. doi:10.1200/JCO.23.00729