Why I Keep Biting My Tongue: 8 Surprising Causes and Treatments (2023)

This article answers one of the most frequently asked questions: "Why do I keep biting my tongue?So if you've ever had this question, keep reading this article.

One of the unconscious things we do as humans is bite our tongue. While biting your tongue is a small movement, at this point it causes extreme pain and can sometimes cause bleeding that can range from transient to continuous.

Have you ever imagined"Why do I keep biting my tongue?”

Biting your tongue from time to time is frustrating and tortures the whole body. However, if this is a frequent occurrence, then this is something to worry about. If people bite their tongue more often, they need medical attention and should seek treatment to avoid more serious symptoms.

When you visit a doctor, the first and most important thing is to find out why:It's just not an unintentional moment when it happens too often.

worrying symptoms

First, let's understand when you should see a doctor. That is when:

1. There is excessive bleeding that does not seem to stop after a considerable amount of time (10-15 minutes).
2. The mouth area shows signs of infection.
3. Irregular pulse: too fast or weak.
4. Stressed breathing and certain throat blockages.
5. The skin seems too pale.

Why I Keep Biting My Tongue: When Does It Happen?

To understand the causes of frequent tongue biting, it is important to determine when the action occurs and what activity you are engaged in. This way you can find out the reason and solve the problem better.

1. When eating

This is one of the most common actions we take when we accidentally bite our tongue. Of course we enjoy delicious food and our eating speed will be much faster than usual.

You eat your favorite food, savor every bite and taste and OH! You bite your tongue and the whole experience of enjoying that meal is ruined by extreme pain and discomfort.

If this happens once or twice, you can write it off as a bug. But if it happens every three or four times, then you have to deal with the crucial question: "Why do I keep biting my tongue?“.

This happens because of distraction, which disrupts the coordination between the mind and actions. This usually happens when you're deep in thought or trying to speak while eating.

2. During the tone

Biting your tongue when you're wide awake is still a conscious mistake, but biting your tongue at night is something to worry about.

Since you are not making any voluntary movement in the dream state, any movement that occurs is cause for concern.

The reason for this is different. Some of these, derived from peer-reviewed studies, are listed below:

• facial muscle spasms

Usually seen in children, afacial muscle spasminvolves the inability to control the muscles of the jaw and face during sleep, resulting in uncontrollable tremors. This rapid movement of the jaw causes the person to bite their tongue. The scientific term for this condition isFaciomandibular myoclonus.

• Bruxism

In simple terms, we knowBruxismlike grinding teeth. This common problem affects many people of a different age: grinding too much while sleeping can cause fatigue and pain, usually in the teeth and jaw.

But sometimes it can also cause small bites on the tongue. You, as a sleeper, will not notice this symptom and often detect it through the sounds of sleeping next to or around you.

• nocturnal seizures

People diagnosed with epilepsy tend to have uncontrollable seizures.seizuresThese jerky movements of epileptic seizures can cause cheek bites and similar lesions on the tongue that may or may not bleed.

These lesions are usually seen on the front of the tongue, its tip, and the side.. Lesions that form on the side of the tongue tend to affect your ability to speak and also interfere with your chewing habits.

• sleep apnea

This is a serious sleep disorder where breathing stops and starts suddenly. Tongue biting is not a direct result of this disorder, but is related to it. people diagnosed withsleep apneaThey have been observed to have a larger than normal tongue.

This causes the mouth to relax in a very different way than normal, relieving stress. Due to this abnormal relaxation of the tongue, the internal movements of the mouth become impaired.

Do you have sleep apnea?

Look for symptoms like–

• Excessive sleepiness and fatigue during the day.
• Severe headache first thing in the morning.
• Sudden shortness of breath during sleep and loud snoring last for a long time.

However, it is much better to see a doctor first to rule out (or rule out) if you have this sleep disorder.

• rhythmic movement disorder

In most cases, children are the most affectedrhythmic movement disorder. The person repeats movements such as humming and shaking their heads. Due to the speed of the movement, this leads to injuries to the tongue. Sudden movements can cause the person to lose control.

• Lyme-Borreliose

This disease is caused by bacteria, more precisely by ticks. The connection betweenLyme-Borrelioseand tongue biting is not easy, but the former can affect reflexes and the nervous system, which in turn can play a role in accidental tongue biting.

In addition to these, there are a few other symptoms to consider to determine if you are biting your tongue:

• tongue bleeds with visible red streaks,
• swelling in some parts of the tongue,
• Ulcers form on the tip or sides of the tongue and cut.

Treatment

Now that you know the reasons why I keep biting my tongue, let's look at some of the solutions.

In order to treat tongue biting caused by a specific reason, it is important to first understand what is causing it, as this is how medical treatment is performed.Certain cases require more professional assistance, while others can even be treated with home remedies.

1. Buccal protector

A mouthguard is also known as a mouthguard. These are U-shaped and suitable to provide a comfortable cushion for the mouth.Its use is recommended by people diagnosed with sleep apnea and bruxism..

Mouthguard types vary and require thorough cleaning to prevent bacteria from reaching the gums. Therefore, the best way to achieve this is to consult your dentist to prescribe an appropriate mouthguard.

2. Anti-seizure drugs

People who suffer from nocturnal seizures and muscle spasms should consider this drug to prevent seizures.

People with Lyme disease and rhythmic movement disorder should strictly follow their doctor's instructions. The solution to the tongue biting habit is cured when the root of the problem is cured.

Common tongue injuries caused by bites tend to heal quickly. Watch for the development of sores and redness that make normal tasks like talking or chewing difficult and frustrating.

It is of the utmost importance that adequate healing time is allowed and that the wound is kept clean.

Other treatments include

1. Manage stress

One of the reasons bruxism is supportive is stress.Biting your tongue is also an unreasonable consequence of a nervous habit.These jittery habits can be caused by stress.

Relaxation methods like yoga, meditation, and breathing exercises are among the most recommended ways to reduce stress. You can also choose any activity or hobby that calms you down and make a pact to devote a little time to it on a regular basis.

2. Home treatment

If you keep asking yourself, "Why do I keep biting my tongue?" and you are frustrated by this then look for the following simple yet effective home remedy.

Home treatments are usually the first and foremost method of rescue for any difficulty. Follow these steps to treat a bitten tongue :

1. Rinse mouth well but gently with water, not too cold and not too hot.
2. Check to see if any pieces of tooth or debris caused the cut. Be sure to wear clean gloves when attempting to put your hand in your mouth.
3. To reduce swelling, squeeze ice cubes or crushed ice wrapped in a cloth. This will help minimize swelling and redness and reduce pain. Be careful not to swallow cold water directly.
4. Applying pressure to the wound with a cool, clean cloth will help stop the bleeding.
5. If the bleeding is uncontrollable and does not stop after ten minutes, seek immediate medical attention.

How to avoid biting your tongue?

1. When playing sports, ensure adequate jaw and face protection by wearing helmets or a face mask. Injuries to the mouth or face while playing a sport or a specific activity are usually brutal and require strict and urgent medical attention.
2. Similar to the above point,drive absolutely safe. A car accident can cause an excruciating bite on the tongue and inside of the cheek.
3. Watch how you eat.When chewing on crunchy and hard food, you tend to bite your tongue due to the sharp edges. However, mindless chewing of even softer foods can cause painful cuts on the tongue. Try to eat smaller bites, chew well, and avoid talking while eating.
4. If you have recently been diagnosed with sleep apnea or other similar sleep disorders,It is highly recommended that you consult your doctor or seek help from a sleep specialist.

healing time

The healing time depends on the severity of the bite. It is important to allow part of the tongue to fully heal.

In order not to irritate a bitten tongue, consider the following foods:

1. yogurt
2. Soups: Make sure they are not too hot.
3. Ice cream has proven to be one of the best home remedies for all mouth related problems.
4. Tender, well-cooked fruits and vegetables

Avoid the following:

1. Alcohol- It can't be overstated how much you burn if you swallow alcohol on a cut. Imagine rubbing alcohol on a wound on your elbow, ten times worse when the wound is in your mouth!
2. Eat foods that arerich in spice and saltiness– basically junk food.
3. Citrus fruits, fruits and juices.These will inevitably bump your right side at the site of your wound, making the redness worse and temporarily causing excruciating pain.

there you go To answer the question, "Why do I keep biting my tongue?" You need to understand the underlying cause and then look for a cure and treatment. Do not wait several weeks or days, do not sleep, but run to a doctor and get help if the bite is severe.

The average person bites their tongue from time to time thanks to all the distractions! But a piece of tongue is no fun: you can't eat properly, you can't taste properly, and your speech is also affected, plus there's a risk of developing an infection.

Do not wait to see if the bleeding continues or if it stops within a minute. The sooner you start tending to a wound, the faster it will heal. There are several ways to stop tongue biting.

Accidentally biting your tongue can be involuntary, but seeking medical treatment or being alert to ways to stop biting is voluntary. So, go ahead and discover these causes to answer your "Why do I keep biting my tongue?" ask.