I Just Got a Massive Case of Tongue Bite/Burn!

[pastorpiper]

Ok....always been a Carter Hall and Burley smoker. Found some "Red Cake" Virginia baccy at my local brick and mortar store (they said once it's gone it's gone forever, so I bought a pound). Fired it up for the first time on Saturday and have been suffering all of Sunday and all of Monday with the most massive mouth burn I've ever felt. Never had this feeling before. It feels like I swished battery acid around my mouth. It is as raw as ever. What in the world? Could I be having a reaction to this tobacco? I didn't feel the pain until Saturday night. It stated out as a massive tingling sensation and now has been a full blown burning sensation. Of course...I think I made the situation worse by using Listerine to wash out my mouth because I thought maybe my new estate pipe gave me a bad germ, but, I'm thinking it is the "Red Cake". And the mouth wash only made it worse.
Man this sucks! I've been smoking for 4 years and always had a pretty good time. This really slowed me down. Please tell me this will get better. After 2 days, it feels like it is getting worse. How long does a bad case of mouth burn last? How long has your toughest mouth burn lasted?
I've put the pipes away for now. I'm planning on giving my mouth and tongue a good 2 week rest. I'm a little gun shy at the moment.
Edited by jvnshr: Title capitalization (please check Rule #9)

 

[ignaciojn]

Most people who complain of tongue bite aren’t experiencing bite at all; they’ve simply burnt their tongues. Tongue bite is a chemical reaction, usually caused by alkalinity. The sensation is similar to a cramp and is different than “leather tongue” (a sore, heat damaged tongue). The common causes of leather tongue can include improper packing, smoking too fast and tobacco that is either too dry or too moist, among others. True tongue bite doesn’t leave the tongue raw and bumpy as is common following heat damage. Since Burley can produce alkaline smoke, it is commonly targeted as the culprit regarding bite, but other tobaccos can have a higher pH as well.

Source: http://pipesmagazine.com/blog/put-that-in-your-pipe/common-misconceptions-redux/
With that in mind, you'd say you got bite or burn?

 

[pastorpiper]

Yeah.....I think it feels chemical. It's all over my mouth, gums, tongue, even lips in the area where I hold the bit in my mouth. UGH
Never had this feeling with any other tobacco.

 

[scloyd]

Were you smoking the pipe you purchased from the antique store? The store where you got the scolding?

 

[pastorpiper]

Haven't smoked that one yet....but like a dummy, I stuck it in my mouth to check how it sits. But, I don't think that would be enough to cause something.....would it? I haven't sterilized the bit yet.
My estate pipes have all come from places that have refurbished and cleaned them.

 

[jon11]

Pretty sure it’s the red virginia. Some are prone to getting bit by it. Shouldn’t last more than a couple more days.

 

[scloyd]

I wouldn't smoke the antique shop pipe until clean and sterile. The worst tongue bite/burn for me only lasted a day. Good luck...hope it feels better soon.

 

[pastorpiper]

The thing is, Carter Hall has some Virginia in it and it never bothered me. I think the Virginia must be very small amount as it is mostly Burley.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

Probably a reaction to the red Virginia. Ours happened to other people. Try Biotene mouthwash for some relief.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Try Biotene mouthwash for some relief.

+1

 

[scloyd]

http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/goodbye-red-virginia
Here's a thread from 4 years ago. You might find this interesting.

 

[ignaciojn]

The thing is, Carter Hall has some Virginia in it and it never bothered me. I think the Virginia must be very small amount as it is mostly Burley.

The issue is with red Virginias, not Virginias in general. I do remember reading in this forum many cases similar to yours.

 

[sablebrush52]

Some folks have a decided reaction to red Virginia, with symptoms similar to those you describe, particularly the battery acid sensation. Sometimes the reaction lessens or goes away over time and sometimes it doesn't. We have a number of people on the forum who can't smoke red Virginia. You can give it another go and see if the unpleasantness recurs.
I happen to love red Virginia. But if you're not experienced with smoking a pure Virginia it will school you. I'm assuming that you came upon some McClelland 5100 red cake. I would suggest that you dry it until it's almost bone dry, pack it lightly, and smoke it very very very slowly. Smoked like that you have a much better chance of getting the flavors and a much lesser chance of incinerating your mouth.
Burleys are very forgiving compared to Virginias. If it turns out that you and red Virginia are not fated for each other, there are thousands of smokers out there who will happily sell their children's organs to raise the money to buy it from you.

 

[olkofri]

Not everything is good to everyone. This might be one of those sad cases.
http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/bad-experience-with-tongue-bite#post-1107120

 

[olkofri]

@Sablebrush: how to tell if a blend has red virginia prior to buying it? Were red VAs unique to MacCleland's? I tried using the Tobacco Locator on SPC but all VAs are grouped under 'Virginia', apparently?

 

[Chasing Embers]

Were red VAs unique to McClelland's

Nope

I tried using the Tobacco Locator on SPC but all VAs are grouped under 'Virginia', apparently?

Most of the time the type will be in the blend description.

 

[sablebrush52]

The Captain summed it up nicely. But not all blends list all ingredients if they're a really minor presence in the blend.

 

[jaytex1969]

I have no use for McClelland's red Virginias for this exact reason, pastorpiper.
You should be able to recoup your losses through resale and live happily ever after.

 

[mikethompson]

Sounds like a terrible experience. If it is indeed a red Virginia reaction, I'd just sell the lot like Jay suggested. No sense suffering in the future.

 

[mso489]

A footnote: When you're having trouble this way, don't use peppermint or other twangy flavored toothpaste. It makes the whole experience worse still. Baking soda will substitute, or specialty toothpastes without the zippy flavoring. Crest is milder than Colgate, for one comparison. My worst experience with this kind of burn was with holiday blends. I think the burning cinnamon, added more for holiday room note than flavor I think, got me good. I tolerate Red Virginia and burley well. It's the occasional flavoring that hurts, although some aromatics are fine. I'm mostly a non-aro guy anyway.