Disturbing reason your tongue hurts after eating sour sweets

If you're partial to a pick n mix, you might have noticed that after chomping through a few sour sweets, your tongue is left feeling a bit sore.

Many people wonder if it's the rough texture of the candy that causes this sensation, but it's actually something totally different.

There's a reason why this happens and it's kind of disturbing.

laimdota/Getty Stock Images

For those who know what I'm talking about, it's kind of a raw, tingly soreness and it's all to do with one important ingredient used in sour sweets.

Citric acid, which is a natural compound found in citrus fruits like lemons, can be concentrated into a powder.

It's used in sweets and is often found in the sour coating, which is the first part of the sweet to hit your tongue where it's absorbed.

It's a corrosive substance, so when we eat a pack of sour sweets it can quickly disturb the papillae on our tongues.

Papillae are the teeny bumps on your tongue. They actually help grip your food while chewing, but also contain your taste buds.

Prolonged contact affects the nerve endings on the tongue which is why we start to feel pain after eating sour foods.

It's also a particular problem when eating sour lollies, due to constant contact with the tongue.

Some people have even reported their tongue 'peeling' after eating such foods.

If you love sour sweets, there are some ways to reduce the discomfort.

For example, taking breaks can help, meanwhile drinking water in-between can help get rid of some of the citric acid.

It's also important not to immediately brush your teeth, as this helps the acids erode the enamel on your teeth.

Instead, it's best to wait 30 to 60 minutes before brushing.

A couple of years ago, a mum in Australia issued a warning to other parents after her son was left with burns after eating a sour lolly.

CPR Kids/Facebook

Sharing an image of the boy's tongue, which has a huge burn in the middle, CPR Kids wrote on Facebook: "Sour candy packaging often stipulates that children under 4 shouldn’t eat the sweets and that consuming multiple lollies quickly can cause 'temporary irritation to sensitive tongues and mouths'.

"We posted about sour lollies and chemical burns last year - we understand that the labels come with warnings, but dentists say the lollies should be avoided altogether due to the acidic coating (regardless of age)."

Topics: Food And Drink, Health

Lucy Devine