Causes of tongue biting during sleep and methods for eliminating them

Do you often wake up with small sores on your tongue or cheeks? Do you observe the formation of small bumps on the soft tissues in your mouth after eating? In this case, we can talk not about a bad habit, but about the possible development of a chronic disease. Don’t understand why constant cheek biting requires consultation with a specialist, and don’t believe in the serious consequences of ignoring the problem? But in vain, according to statistics, frequent, chronic injuries to the mucous membrane can become a factor in the development of precancerous diseases. In addition to the loss of the aesthetic appearance of the tongue and cheeks, they threaten to deteriorate their overall health.

Why do children and adults bite their tongues in their sleep?

An active lifestyle, dynamic games (in children) are the main causes of an unpleasant and often painful sensation on the tongue after sleep.

Active play with peers can lead to a child falling. At the same time, the teeth close and the tongue is bitten. Boys fight often. During a fight, they can hit each other in the jaw, which causes tongue biting.

Adults bite their tongues for almost the same reasons. They lead an active lifestyle, work out in the gym, during which mechanical impact occurs on the jaw.

Tongue biting during sleep is a common disease that affects both children and adults. There are many factors that provoke this phenomenon: stress, vitamin deficiency, dental problem, habit. We will talk in more detail about the causes of tongue bite during sleep.

Habit of biting your tongue

Habits are things that we stick to all the time and that can be very difficult to break. For some people, persistent tongue biting is nothing more than a result of developing a tongue-biting habit. This is usually caused by anxiety, fear, stress and other emotions that cause many vivid experiences.

If you constantly bite your tongue, you may have developed an involuntary tongue-biting habit that you need to break. Effective treatment in this situation will likely require cognitive-behavioral psychotherapies as well as habit change techniques. And the help of a qualified psychotherapist can help you completely get rid of this problem.

Why is this dangerous?

If a person says: “I bite my tongue in my sleep,” then you need to know about the dangers of such a phenomenon. Firstly, when biting, the lateral parts of the tongue are damaged. Most often, the mucous membranes of the cheeks are affected during a bite. If the phenomenon occurs frequently, chronic damage to the inner surface of the cheeks occurs.

Secondly, bleeding of the tongue, pain, wounds, ulcers are the results of biting the tongue. These effects can make it difficult to chew food particles and make individual sounds. In particular, during a conversation there may be a “whistle” of sounds in people who suffer from this disease.

Of course, it is impossible to die from biting your own tongue. Even if you bite your tongue completely off.

Reasons for biting your tongue in your sleep

There are a huge number of factors that interrupt restful sleep. One of the common causes is biting the tongue, and with it the cheeks. There is no need to sound the alarm if a similar situation occurs every few months. However, if a person feels pain in the tongue area every morning, then it is urgently necessary to determine the cause of this phenomenon:

1. Bruxism is a disease in which a person grinds his teeth at night. This is not a serious pathology, but as a result, the tongue and the inside of the cheeks are bitten. Many doctors are of the opinion that bruxism at night is a neurological problem. Therefore, in many cases, it is enough to put on a silicone mouthguard before bed to get rid of an uncontrollable bad habit.

2. Unadjusted braces and incorrectly installed braces can cause the tongue to touch the teeth. In order to avoid biting your tongue while sleeping, you need to wear a special elastic band that slightly raises your jaw.

3. Apnea is a pathological condition in which breathing is briefly interrupted during sleep. Apnea in adults is quite common. During this “seizure,” the jaw relaxes as much as possible, and the tongue slips outside the dentition. As soon as breathing is restored, the jaw clenches.

4. Stress and nightmares are one of the common reasons for biting your tongue in your sleep. Most often, pregnant women or those who have recently given birth to a baby suffer from this problem. Their body is still under stress and undergoing dramatic hormonal changes.

5. Lyme disease is one of the rarest causes of tongue biting during sleep. This pathology affects the brain and nervous system. As a result, the body sends incorrect signals to the muscles.

6. Convulsions are one of the reasons for biting the inner lining of the oral cavity. Most often, this problem affects people who have epilepsy attacks. During sleep, the epileptic's muscles are uncontrollable, which can cause involuntary closure of the jaw. Cramps during sleep can also appear in children during the period of their active growth. A somnologist can diagnose the problem. Thanks to a special examination method, the doctor observes the patient's brain waves. If the doctor confirms that the cause of tongue biting is not epilepsy, other causes should be considered.

7. Epilepsy is a chronic disease that causes seizures, loss of consciousness, vomiting and other dangerous symptoms. Attacks most often occur during sleep. Epilepsy during sleep differs from the usual clinical picture. Breathing worsens, muscle hypertonicity occurs spontaneously. The upper limbs of a person are in an abducted state, and the lower ones are extended. During spasm, involuntary bowel movements and urine leakage are observed. The epileptic clenches his jaw tightly and bites the tip of his tongue. Most often this leads to bleeding. These convulsions last about a minute. After the attack, breathing returns to normal, and foam appears near the mouth. After biting the tongue, it has a scarlet color. After a seizure at night, patients may not remember what happened to them. However, the next morning the following data indicate an attack: a wrinkled sheet, stains on the bed from saliva and foam, traces of feces and urine.

8. Movement disorders are one of the possible causes of tongue biting during sleep. Such disorders manifest themselves in the form of sudden shaking of the head and body movements. Most often, this reason appears in active children. Movement disorders can lead to head banging, body swaying, limb twitching, and even fractures. This problem may disappear and reappear as the child grows older. If taking a sedative before bed does not help, you may need to see a psychologist for cognitive behavioral therapy.

3. Interpretation according to the time of the event

To more accurately understand what the sign of a bitten tongue symbolizes, you need to pay attention to the time when the situation occurred. Interpretations by day of the week:

• Monday. An injury received on this day symbolizes to a person that he should share less details of his personal life with others. Such information can be used by others against the individual. On Monday you should stop sharing other people's secrets.
• Tuesday. Symbolizes that words carelessly spoken by an individual can turn against him. On this day, you should carefully monitor what is said.
• Wednesday. Biting your tongue on this day means empty chatter. Most likely, after such conversations, a person will regret the lost time and what was said in the conversation.
• Thursday. Bite your tongue on Thursday - a visit from unexpected guests. The meeting will bring a lot of positive emotions to both hosts and guests.
• Friday. A tongue damaged by teeth on Friday is a symbol of temporary failure. For a time after the event, you should give up meetings and undertakings. Most likely they will only bring disappointment.
• Saturday. The sign of a bitten tongue symbolizes serious risks. On this day, you need to be careful in financial matters and not make expensive purchases.
• Sunday. An event that happened on this day signals an upcoming series of unfortunate events. Problems can arise both in everyday life and in personal life. On this day it is better to postpone all trips, meetings, etc.

If your interlocutor bites his tongue while talking to you, this symbolizes that he has many ill-wishers or is telling a lie. If you are communicating with a person of the opposite sex and he bites his tongue during the conversation, then this signals his hidden sympathy for you.

How to restore your tongue after biting?

Patients often ask doctors the question: “I bite my tongue in my sleep, what should I do?” Typically, a tongue injury heals within 7 days. There is no urgent need to visit a doctor. Because human saliva has natural healing properties that help accelerate the healing of damaged tissues.

Of course, you can use home remedies. Many doctors recommend applying ice to the area where the blood is coming from. Rinsing your mouth with salty sea water is also effective.

The main thing is to exclude spicy foods from your diet until the pain completely disappears.

What is prohibited

After an injury it is prohibited:

• treat damage with solutions containing alcohol;
• drink water immediately after treatment.

During the recovery period, it is important to take care of your oral cavity. Necessary:

• do not eat spicy or sour foods;
• limit the ingress of food onto the damaged side;
• Do not abuse cold or hot drinks.

It is forbidden to touch the damaged area with your fingers or remove the protective protein layer that forms.

What if there is blood?

In this case, press the wound site against your cheek or palate. This is first aid for a small tongue bite. You can use a piece of ice or a clean cloth.

Examine the wound carefully. Assess the severity of the bite. If the wound is deep enough, then go to the dentist.

If the wound is small, use salt water rinsing. This will speed up healing. Within 20 seconds 1 tsp. Dissolve sea salt in a glass of warm water. Rinse your mouth with the solution.

If bleeding does not go away within a few hours after sleep, you should seek help from a doctor. Perhaps an infection has been introduced into the body or there is a problem with blood clotting.

Be sure to seek help from a dentist who will select suitable protection for your teeth.

Doctors often make an impression of the jaw for the patient - a special mouthguard that must be put on before going to bed.

What to do after an injury?

“I constantly bite my tongue in my sleep, how can I relieve the pain?” is a common question that patients ask the dentist. To reduce pain, it is recommended to suck on a small piece of ice or popsicle. There are also a number of recommendations:

• Apply a cold compress for several days after biting your tongue.
• It is allowed to take Paracetamol, Advil (drugs in dosages according to age).
• Use special dental gels: Metrogil-Denta, Asepta, Cholisal.
• Avoid eating or drinking for 2 hours after waking up.
• Rinse your mouth with herbal decoctions and sea salt solution three times a day. Chamomile decoction helps a lot. To prepare it you need 1 tbsp. l. chamomile leaves pour 1 glass of warm water (not boiling). Let it brew for 20 minutes.

These procedures will speed up the healing process.

Further treatment of the ulcer

Often, an ulcer soon appears on a wound resulting from mechanical impact. To treat an inflamed lesion on the tongue, both medications and folk remedies are used. In severe cases, both special medications and traditional recipes are prescribed to eliminate the consequences.

Traditional methods

As traditional methods, use components with an antiseptic and healing effect.

Traditional medicine recipes for the treatment of a bitten tongue are based on the use of components of natural origin that have an antiseptic and healing effect.

• Aloe juice has a slightly bitter taste, but has a quick healing effect. It can be used alone or in combination with honey as a lotion on the site where the tongue has been bitten. It is advisable to treat an ulcer by repeating the procedure 4-5 times a day.
• Saline solution prepared from 1 tsp. per 200 ml of water, you can rinse the mouth. Salt is an antibacterial agent and has a drying effect. Twice daily procedures will be quite enough to speed up the rate of healing of a wound on the tongue.
• Prepare a paste from soda by diluting a teaspoon of powder in a small amount of water. A wound or sore should be treated with a cotton swab dipped in a soda mixture. An alkaline environment reduces acidity in the mouth, suppresses pathogenic bacteria, and reduces pain and swelling. The product is effectively used at the initial stage of the inflammatory process.
• Honey has an antibacterial and enveloping effect. It is enough to smear a little sweet medicine on the wound 2-3 times a day or simply lick the treat from a spoon if the affected area is located at the tip of the tongue. You can enhance the effect by combining this product with other ingredients (for example, turmeric).
• Peroxide is considered an excellent antiseptic and works well at preventing the growth of bacteria in the mouth. The rinse solution is prepared from equal proportions of 3% product and water. Hydrogen peroxide cleans the wound and stops bleeding, which is why it is preferred when providing first aid for injuries to the tongue.
• Calendula and chamomile are used in the form of decoctions for rinsing the mouth. Plants have anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects. It is enough to carry out the procedures 2 times a day. The healing liquid is also suitable for lotions. It is better to prepare the decoction in a water bath.
• Sage is used both in tincture and in the form of a decoction. The product should be prepared in the following proportions: 1-2 tsp. herbs per glass of boiling water. With the cooled and strained liquid, you can not only make lotions, but also rinse your mouth.
• Milk of magnesia is a powerful antacid that can suppress bacteria and simultaneously create a favorable environment for beneficial microorganisms. To treat a tongue bite, it is enough to treat the wound 3-4 times a day with a cotton swab dipped in milk.

Drug treatment

The deeper the wound on the tongue, the stronger the pain. To treat serious injuries, drug treatment is used.

The primary goal is to eliminate the pain syndrome. For these purposes, the following anti-inflammatory drugs with analgesic effect are prescribed:

• Metrogil Denta;
• Asepta-gel;
• Khodisal et al.

Metrogil Denta

Asepta

Holisal

To prevent the development of pathogenic microorganisms, it is recommended to treat with antiseptics:

• Chlorhexidine;
• Miramistin, etc.

Chlorhexidine and Miramistin

To combat ulcers formed as a result of injury, specific therapy is not required. It is enough to get by with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (Lornoxicam, Ketoprofen, etc.).

For treatments and rinses of the oral cavity, gels and sprays are recommended, which are easy to use:

• Lugol;
• Rotokan;
• Propolis;
• Solcoseryl paste, etc.

Rotokan Propolis Solcoseryl

An important factor in the healing process is the immune system. Often, doctor’s recommendations are supplemented with immunomodulators or complex vitamins that increase the body’s resistance to harmful bacteria and viruses.

Doctors, after examining the wound on the tongue and prescribing treatment, recommend an antacid and antihistamines. These drugs have a wide spectrum of action, in addition to antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, and are able to control the acidic environment in the mouth. The funds are used individually and collectively, taken in equal proportions.

When to go to the doctor?

There are factors that cannot be ignored. So, reasons for urgently contacting a doctor:

• if swelling and hematoma have formed at the site of injury;
• if the tongue tissue is bitten through;
• if it was not possible to stop the bleeding within half an hour;
• if the wound is 5 mm in size, deep and with ragged edges.

If treatment at home is ineffective, the tongue hurts, and the swelling does not go away for a long time, then you need to consult a doctor.

Ways to eliminate the unpleasant consequences of omens

The most popular way to neutralize negativity yourself is to sprinkle hot pepper and salt on your tongue. If the speaking organ has been damaged to the point of bleeding, then it is better to avoid this method, because spices will cause pain. You can replace salt and pepper with a decoction of chamomile or other medicinal herbs. They rinse their mouth several times.

Another, more humane method to neutralize a sign with a bad interpretation is to tie a thread on the tongue in a knot. This method works effectively and does not bring discomfort to the victim.

In most cases, signs of a bitten tongue symbolize the presence of ill-wishers in your close circle, lies and gossip behind your back. This is a sign that you need to pay attention to your speech. Angry and rude words spoken to another person can boomerang back to the recipient.

What is prohibited?

Doctors have identified a number of actions that are prohibited when biting your tongue. So, you can't:

• apply ointments, iodine and antibiotics to a fresh wound (they will lead to burns);
• rinse the mouth with hot or cold herbal decoctions;
• drink hot or cold drinks;
• press your fingers on the wound;
• use alcohol tincture;
• Use objects (pencil, pen) to inspect the wound, otherwise you will get an infection.

The main thing is not to take antibiotics without a doctor’s prescription.

Consequences of untimely treatment of frequent tongue biting:

• Formation of a tuberculous ulcer (painful, uneven yellow ulcer);
• Development of leukoplakia (keratinization of the oral mucosa);
• Formation of a cancerous tumor (a compaction in the center of the ulcer that does not heal and can spread to neighboring areas of tissue).

Important! Under no circumstances should you wash open wounds with decoctions or solutions yourself - you risk not only aggravating the pain, but also causing an infection.

How to prevent tongue biting?

If the cause of involuntary jaw movement is any disease, then all efforts should be directed towards its treatment. If the doctor does not find any real deviations in the patient’s health, then you should visit a psychotherapist. Many people who suffer from bruxism and sleep apnea benefit from cognitive behavioral therapy.

Relaxing asanas, yoga, and a cup of mint tea before bed reduce the risk of involuntary tongue biting.

You can take sedatives based on medicinal herbs before bed. Take motherwort tincture and valerian. Also don't forget about relaxation music. For many, it helps to relax and calm emotions before bed. Relaxation music is the sounds of nature: the sound of the sea, forest, rain, birdsong.

In many cases, the cause of tongue biting is an unstable state of the nervous system, and not a serious pathology.

How to stop biting your tongue?

When looking at each of the possible causes of biting your tongue, we mentioned treatments or methods to get rid of the habit of biting your tongue (constant or intermittent, conscious or involuntary). In this part, we will give you some general guidelines that can further help with tongue biting.

Visit your dentist and physician to learn how you can manage this problem and learn how to use oral protection to avoid dental damage and oral injury, especially if you are active in sports.