Is it mouth fatigue or tongue bite?

Log in

SmokingPipes.com Updates

Watch for Updates Twice a Week

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

jtkuga

Lurker
Dec 19, 2024
16
28
I have been smoking now for a little over a week now, and I have noticed that some mornings my tongue feels a bit fatigued, maybe a bit raw. Less able to accept flavors of food. Similar but not exactly the same as like when you scald your tongue on a hot food like pizza the night before. Is this tongue bite? I thought tongue bite was something you experienced while actually smoking the pipe so I assume it is not. I assume it is just because my mouth is not used to all the smoke. Is anyone familiar with this? Its not really bad like I've read about tongue bite so I assume its not, but if it is I'd like to know so I can figure out what I'm doing wrong lol.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Snook

elvishrunes

Can't Leave
Jun 19, 2017
402
777
It is tongue bite IMO. There’s a slight burning while smoking that instantly goes away after the puff, some consider this bite, I don’t. Bite is when it hits the next day and can even leave painful sores. Time off to heal a few days then start again, you build up tolerance. I can’t remember bite since 2017.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jtkuga

VDL_Piper

Lifer
Jun 4, 2021
1,554
14,959
Tasmania, Australia
I think every new pipe smoker thinks that their tongue should be as pristine after smokes as it was before and it just can’t be. As @BingBong has said you have to get your tongue adjusted and that takes a while when you’re a new smoker. I hadn’t smoked for a few weeks the other day and I lit up for the first time in maybe 3 weeks and my tongue didn’t like it and the flavour wasn’t there. Wind the clock forward 24 hrs and my next bowl was bang on and everyone since. In your case it may take 2/3 weeks of smoking every day to season the tongue and mouth to having warm smoke in it. Be patient but also persistent too and you will get there.
 
Dec 6, 2019
5,216
23,932
Dixieland
Most of the complaints we see come from the person's body adjusting to pipe smoking.

Some people will say they still get it after years of smoking, and they may, but most of those people don't smoke enough to ever adjust.

You have a guy who smokes once a week trying to smoke a certain way so it doesn't burn his mouth...

There are different circumstances, but It's basically like many examples of internet lore.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jtkuga

jtkuga

Lurker
Dec 19, 2024
16
28
It hasn’t been that bad. I’m still enjoying the pipe and I can still taste my food and drink. I’m going out of town this week and my plan is to continue smoking the pipe here at home then take a break while I’m out of town and pick it back up when I get home.
 

Snook

Can't Leave
Oct 2, 2019
493
2,105
Idaho
I struggled with this problem for quite some time, but now that I'm thinking about it, I haven't had any issues for about a year and a half. It may be because I am smoking more frequently now, so my mouth/tongue might just be used to it at this point.

When it was happening a lot, I noticed that mouth issues in the morning were always worse if I smoked later in the evening the night before. If I had a pipe in the afternoon or something, it didn't really affect me as much the next day.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jtkuga and BingBong