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 have ever had this doubt, keep reading this article.

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

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 frequently, they need medical attention and you should seek treatment to prevent more severe symptoms.

When you visit a doctor, the first and most important thing is to uncover the reason: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, very fast pulse or fainting.
4. Stressed breathing and certain throat blockages.
5. It appears pale to the skin.

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 surely be much faster than usual.

You munch on your favorite food, savoring every bite and taste, and OY! You bite your tongue and the whole experience of enjoying that meal is ruined by absolute pain and discomfort.

If this happens once or twice, you can dismiss it 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. It usually happens when you're thinking deeply or trying to talk while eating.

2. When sleeping

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

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

The reason for this is different. Some of those that come from peer-reviewed studies are listed below:

• facial muscle spasms

Usually seen in children, afacial muscle spasmIt involves an inability to control the jaw and facial muscles 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 knowBruxismTeeth grinding This common problem affects many people later in life: grinding too hard during sleep can cause fatigue and pain, mostly 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 hear it from those sleeping next to you or near you due to the noise it makes.

• nocturnal seizures

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

These lesions are usually seen on the frontmost part of the tongue, its tip and side.. Lesions that form on the side of the tongue usually affect your ability to speak and also make chewing difficult.

• 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 tongue that is larger than normal.

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 are impeded.

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.

Although it's still 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 nodding 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 the reflexes and nervous system, which in turn can play a role in accidental tongue biting.

In addition to these, some other symptoms to tell if you are biting your tongue are as follows:

• 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 a tongue bite 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. Mouthguard

A mouthguard is also known as a mouthguard. These are U-shaped and are good for padding your mouth comfortably.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, it is best to consult your dentist to prescribe an appropriate mouthguard.

2. Anticonvulsants

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 a bite usually heal quickly. Attention should be paid to the development of sores and redness that make normal tasks such as speaking or chewing difficult and frustrating.

It is of 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 for bruxism is stress.Biting your tongue is also a meaningless result 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. Additionally, you can choose any activity or hobby that calms you down and make a pact to devote some 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 with this, look for the following simple yet effective home remedy.

Home treatments are usually the first and foremost method of rescue for any difficulty. To treat a bitten tongue, do the following: :

1. Rinse your mouth well but gently with water, neither too hot nor too cold.
2. Check for bits of tooth or misaligned objects that 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 clean, cool 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 exercising, ensure your jaw and face are adequately protected by wearing helmets or a face mask. Injuries to the mouth or face while playing sports 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 your tongue and the inside of your cheek.
3. Watch how you eat.When chewing crunchy and hard food, you tend to bite your tongue due to the sharp edges. However, careless 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 just 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 cannot be overstated how much you will burn if you drink alcohol to 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 spicy and salty– basically junk food.
3. Citrus fruits, fruits and juices.These inevitably burn at the wound site, which aggravates the redness and temporarily causes excruciating pain.

There it is. 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 fall asleep, but hurry to see a doctor and get help from him if the bite is severe.

The average person bites their tongue once in a while thanks to all the distractions! But a small tongue is no fun: you don't eat right, you don't taste right, and speech is impaired in addition to the risk of 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 viable ways to stop biting your tongue.

Accidentally biting your tongue can be involuntary, but seeking medical attention or paying attention to how to stop biting is voluntary. So, go ahead and discover these causes to answer your question, "Why do I keep biting my tongue?" Questions.