What Did I Do to My Mouth?

[Beowoulf]

About a month ago I returned to pipe smoking after a 10 year break. In the beginning, when I returned, I burned the DAYLIGHTS out of my tongue no matter what I smoked or did. Then something happened. Lately, when I smoke, I can't burn my mouth even when I try to! (And I have been smoking like the legendary locomotive we so often hear about.)
Do you find that the mouth just acclimates to the hostile atmosphere of smoke, heat, steam, etc.? Or have I just killed all the living cells in my mouth lining? (I'm still able to taste food.)
Also, one of the reasons I quit 10 years ago was that I couldn't stand the taste in my mouth the morning after. That taste isn't there either. Very strange.

 

[OverMountain]

Sounds like you’re doing pretty good!

I dry my tobacco, use a filter, and try and keep the bowl cool through sips and not chugs.

Keep on truckin’

 

[FLDRD]

Good questions, I've wondered some similar things myself.
I almost got concerned when I stopped feeling the pain...

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

I’ve found my mouth and palate change somewhat regularly. Not a ton but they change. Get a cold or throat/nasal infection, they change. Take a prescription and they change. Or they simply change a bit.

I think regardless of how “toughened” you think your mouth is, smoke dried tobacco slow. Inevitably, if you don’t, you’ll likely scotch your mouth and tongue. Then your several days to a week recovering.

Other than that, your mouth just likely adjusted to having you sick hot, steamy smoke into it.

 

[Chalaw87]

Im not sure what changed, but if you figure it out, let us know so we can build calluses on our tongues too.

 

[didimauw]

You have become one with the smoke.

 

[Davy]

About a month ago I returned to pipe smoking after a 10 year break. In the beginning, when I returned, I burned the DAYLIGHTS out of my tongue no matter what I smoked or did. Then something happened. Lately, when I smoke, I can't burn my mouth even when I try to! (And I have been smoking like the legendary locomotive we so often hear about.)
Do you find that the mouth just acclimates to the hostile atmosphere of smoke, heat, steam, etc.? Or have I just killed all the living cells in my mouth lining? (I'm still able to taste food.)
Also, one of the reasons I quit 10 years ago was that I couldn't stand the taste in my mouth the morning after. That taste isn't there either. Very strange.

The Force is now with you.

 

[mso489]

The usual prescriptions for this are drying your tobacco more, generally sipping more than puffing, slowing your cadence, and having a beverage with your pipe. I found that going entirely to non-aromatics for a while really helped. I had that nasty aftertaste problem even without the tongue bite and chemical burn that was pretty much disposed of smoking only non-aromatics.

 

[kcghost]

I think you finally learned to smoke your pipe properly. Probably pack your pipe a little lighter than before and smoke a lot slower that you used to.

 

[bullet08]

I would be extra careful. If you don't feel pain in your mouth, how do you know when you damage it? I mean, it doesn't exactly have to be pain. Do you notice peppery blends?

 

[PipeIT]

Well...

Not sure if there are any Doctors in the house.

Do you have any feelings/sensation in your mouth, can you feel your tongue poking around?

You should never smoke a pipe like a locomotive, rhetorically speaking, do you need a nicotine fix, or you love the taste so much, you need to puff nonstop?

Slow down, and sip the pipe occasionally and enjoy.

Sure, your mouth will acclimate, but it’s still a foreign substance that was never meant to be in your mouth, so you have to go easy with it all the time.

If in doubt, see a Doc and have your mouth examined, don’t take a chance, if you think you fried it.

I’m guessing here, but if you think you’ve been really pushing it, step away for a month or two and give your mouth/body a rest.

When you get back into it, dry your tobacco for now fairly crisp, and smoke it very slowly. The only way I can explain, sip so slowly and occasionally, so an average sized pipe lasts you 3-4 hrs, maybe longer. And you can actually take small sips like this every few minutes, making pipes last hours.

Take care!

 

[monty55]

I have no idea what's up with your tongue, but it sounds to me like you got it made my friend.
I say smoke till you drop

 

[chopper]

Yes your mouth has just been conditioned by the smoke. Yay!

Waking with a bad taste in your mouth?
Could that be because you were smoking stronger blends back then, stronger than what you're smoking now?

 

[Sinzalot]

Yes you've totally killed your mouth and can now smoke however and whatever you wish, congratulations fella!