I don't ever remember getting tongue bite. But I used to get roof rash all the time, untill I learned how to slow down.
Thoughts on Tongue Bite.
- Thread starter UrsaMinor
- Start date
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
Site Sponsors
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
Apologies for not doing so earlier but I finally had a look at the article you linked to. Unfortunately, the article seems like a clinical summary not a scientific study, which makes it hard to evaluate the research that ostensibly underlies it. Your points are well taken but I'd like to make another observation: The sensation of tongue bite resembles more the "burn" that you get when you suck on too many hard candies than it does the burn you get from hot beverages or food. In other words, whatever the mechanism, tongue bite feels chemical not thermal. Doesn't make it so but you can see why we might be skeptical.
Man, I've been piping for about five years now and I still get that (and leather tongue) almost every time. I try to smoke agonizingly slowly, still get it. Pack lighter, or pack tighter, still get it. I think I might be lighting too aggressively - the more relights I get, the worse it seems to be.
Those nirvana smokes where the starts all align are worth all the trouble, though.
A-ha, more anecdotal evidence. I posit a slower drag means a longer travel time for the smoke, resulting in smoke particles dissipating heat, aka 'cooler smoke'.
It lists references at the bottom.
What makes you think that's a chemical burn? I thought it was caused by rough edges of the sugar crystals causing abrasions on the tongue.
Try charcoal filters and/or longer pipes. They worked for me.
Another point I forgot to bring up -- cigars don't cause tongue bite unless you smoke it down to a tiny stub. This is probably because the smoke passes through the whole cigar, which acts as a filter for those larger smoke particles I keep mentioning.
I'd be willing to bet that 9 out of 10 times, it's a heat problem. Smoking too fast is the big one. Tobacco that is too wet can steam the tongue when puffed fast, and tobacco that is too dry just scorches. Longer stems definitely help give the smoke time to cool, as can filters (nothing wrong with using a filter). IDK about smoke particles, but heat is definitely the driving factor here.
I've never had what I thought to be any kind of chemical burn from tobacco.
I've never had what I thought to be any kind of chemical burn from tobacco.
Yes 90 percent of the time it's from too many relights. Again I know everyone is getting sick of hearing about drying the tobacco more and more, but I'm not saying it so people lose flavor....lol
I've definitely burned the crap out of my tongue smoking cigars to a nub. I attributed it to the burning "cherry" being closer to the mouth and therefore the smoke not having enough time to cool down.
Hot smoke particles is a possibility, but I think most of the issue is just the sheer heat of the smoke (or steam from a wet smoke). Wet aromatics are known for being "bitey", IMO, because they produce a lot of steam, which results in a different type of burn than an overly dry tobacco would.
I don't think smoke can be hot - who measures the temperature of smoke?
Tongue bite is typically caused by heat from the burning tobacco, caused by over zealous lighting techniques and smoking too fast.
Tongue bite is typically caused by heat from the burning tobacco, caused by over zealous lighting techniques and smoking too fast.
The temperature of the smoke when it comes out of the mouthpiece and into the mouth has been measured and it's on par with the temperature of hot coffee.
It's only hotter when the unseasoned smoker sips/puffs forcefully, and/or when the pipe is lit/relit, but it hardly ever passes the 373 K mark. I've never heard of a pipe smoker ending up in the ER due to a forceful puff.
Most of my burns have happened from improperly lighting the pipe.
Heat is definitely a major factor, but not the only one. Other factors, like pH cause and/or compound the problem. Aaaand... everyone's mouth has a different pH—which in turn is due to many factors: diet, body chemistry, genetics, ailments, et cetera.
It's only hotter when the unseasoned smoker sips/puffs forcefully, and/or when the pipe is lit/relit, but it hardly ever passes the 373 K mark. I've never heard of a pipe smoker ending up in the ER due to a forceful puff.
Most of my burns have happened from improperly lighting the pipe.
Heat is definitely a major factor, but not the only one. Other factors, like pH cause and/or compound the problem. Aaaand... everyone's mouth has a different pH—which in turn is due to many factors: diet, body chemistry, genetics, ailments, et cetera.
Yeah, IMO drier is better until it loses its spring and gets crumbly. All the smokes I've enjoyed the most were with "properly" dried tobacco.
Not really interested. I don't get tongue bite, and by following suggestions, most new folks get over it in more than reasonable time. I guess some people can put that study in next bill for the Congress along with why pigeons aren't passing SAT.
Yes, I tried to link to them but have to admit I wasn't motivated enough to try hunting for them online. So yes, my points are all anecdotal.
To clarify, I'm not saying heat can't be a factor in causing tongue bite. It very well could be. In fact, the article you linked to does provide some indirect evidence for that claim. The author makes a point of distinguishing between keratosis and carcinoma, which implies—but doesn't prove—that they have distinct causes. Carcinoma is known to result from repeated exposure to carcinogens, i.e. chemical. Does that mean tongue bite can't be chemical? Not necessarily but it does make thermal injury more probable.
Haha. Good point.
Whew, then the kids’ braces are safe - this thread was scaring me.
Amazing.
I'm lazier and I just let climate change light it for me. (You can guess how often I get to smoke it.)
@UrsaMinor
Scroll to the bottom, of the link I posted.
I found pretty much all the info needed on the topic of Bite.
Scroll to the bottom, of the link I posted.
I found pretty much all the info needed on the topic of Bite.
Any Advice? Killer Tongue Bite :: Pipe Smoking Basics & Beginner Questions
Roll up your driver's window but leave a just crack for ventilation. If you're filling up the cabin with smoke you're puffing too fast anyway but the draft from highway driving can be like a supercharger for a pipe
pipesmagazine.com
I clearly remember my first and only tongue bite. Davidoff Medallion Flake. Huge bite from perique. Every single time I smoked that blend. No issue with other VA/per. Only that blend. So bought some more to test after few years. I think it's been about 5 years now. Maybe I'll smoke it on next Lunar New Year like Granger.
