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I’ve smoked a pipe regularly for around one year and, for the first 6 months, I didn’t have much experience with tongue-bite. Then, gradually, I began to experience it more frequently. With my limited experience I’ve managed to stumble across a few things that have helped me and might help others.
Firstly, tempo. I love pipe smoking so much that I developed a tendency to puff too deeply, too strongly and too often! For those tobacco blends that tend to give you tongue-bite, you can try smoking less intensely. Sometimes it can be easier said than done! 😄
Secondly, filters. There are several types - coming in 6mm and 9mm diameters - for different pipes (some can’t use filters at all). The first type I’ll mention is like the filter in cigarettes, but with ridges along the side that let the smoke pass along. The second is made of balsa wood, also with ridges along the side. The third is a paper capsule containing activated charcoal, or meerschaum, or both, which doesn’t have any ridges and is designed so that all the smoke passes through it. Filters are effective at absorbing moisture, tar and nicotine. Hence, they are effective at reducing the irritation that causes tongue-bite. On the downside, each reduces the intensity of flavour to differing degrees, depending on the filter. Also, they become less effective as they become saturated.
Thirdly, meerschaum pipes. Not the cheapest option available, but meerschaum pipes are fantastic at absorbing moisture, tar and nicotine. Like filters, they can also reduce the intensity of flavour to a certain degree. Unlike filters, they tend not to become saturated (at least in my limited experience so far).
Fourthly, clay pipes. These are incredibly cheap, though they’re also fragile and don’t offer anywhere near the variety of styles seen in pipes made of other materials. They are absolutely superb at absorbing moisture. But, unlike the options above, they barely diminish the intensity of flavour. Instead, you taste everything and, in my experience, don’t get any tongue-bite.
So, that’s my two cents/pennies-worth. I’m eager to hear from the rest of you on this topic, whether you’re new to pipe smoking or not.
What is your experience with tongue-bite and what methods to combat it have you used?
All good suggestions already mentioned! I tend to smoke too quickly, no matter how hard I try. All I will add are some things to help with tongue bite after you get it.
1) Drinks with aloe. Very soothing and good for lots of things.
2) Oil pool. I use coconut oil. Take a small piece and let it melt in your mouth. Swish it around like mouthwash for 1-2 minutes. Spit it out if it upsets your stomach or swallow if you want. Leaves your mouth coated and has a very nice aftertaste.
Same Nick. I'm a puffer. I'll always be a puffer.when I'm smoking pipes regularly I always have a slightly sore tongue. But it's slight. I actually kinda like it. Reminds me I smoke a pipe.
But I do recall early tongue bite which was nearly debilitating. Folks have hit on a lot of the folk remedies I've heard. When I first started smoking a pipe I sloshed aloe vera juice. I don't think it really helped.
I think Ted has good insight. I use genetic listerine a couple times a day. And, knock on briar, haven't had a debilitating case of bite in a long time.
You have pointed out the best methods for dealing with it. I will add a couple of points that I have observed.
First, I believe that a lot of tongue bite occurs as a result of too aggressively lighting a pipe. When a pipe is first being lit, the tobacco has the most moisture, humectants, etc. on it and applying a flame and drawing too hard will vaporize a lot of the moisture and coatings on the tobacco while producing little to no smoke. I believe that this often causes the actual burn, while continuing to smoke afterwards only irritates it and makes it worse.
The second point relates to something that is often blamed for it, PH. I spoke with a dentist at length about this a while ago and he said it isn’t an issue that would cause that. He did have an answer though. He said that there are lots of bacteria and often yeasts/fungus present in everyone’s mouths. He said depending on which ones and how much there is, they damage the surface of the inside of your mouth. He said that the weakened skin surface is far more sensitive to damage from many things, including smoking. Lastly he said that brushing your teeth a lot will not solve the issue, only reduce it. He suggested using a true antibacterial mouthwash regularly. Something like Listerine, not some minty fresh type. I had been prone to minor tongue bite occasionally and I brush my teeth quite regularly so I had never considered this. I started using an antibacterial mouthwash and within two weeks never experienced tongue bite again.
Nothing else to add, Ted and Nick already nailed the 'extras' i would think.
Smoke while drinking is something that always help me cooling down the tongue temperature also forces me to change the pace of puffing the pipe.
I also consider myself a hard puffer so all those tips are important and i wish i knew it before.
Nice topic mate!!
Maybe it's just me, but I find that when I drink alcohol when smoking the chances of tongue bite increase quite a bit. Perhaps because it numbs the tongue a bit and you don't feel it coming on or something?
My own perception is that colder the drink i'm having, higher the chance of accelerating the pace and start puffing hard just because the cold feeling in my mouth.
The same thing happens to me when I take a swig of beer with certain, but not all, Virginia tobaccos. Instant tongue bite! I wasn't sure if it was the carbonation or the alcohol. So here's the odd part, if I sip whisky (alcohol) it doesn't happen. If I drink soda (carbonation) it doesn't happen. So I drink my beer slower, trying to minimize the carbonation, it does help reduce it but it's still there. Weird.
Lighting technique! Have the lighter flame hover over but not touch the tobacco itself when relighting. Ashiness from the harshness of a strong relight contributes a lot to tongue bite.
Take frequent sips from a non-alcoholic beverage while smoking.
Dump the ash from the top of the bowl more often.
Tobacco moisture is a big factor here.
If your tobacco is too moist it's harder to light and will cause more steam vapor.
Squeeze your tobacco between your thumb and fingers, if it stays compressed, it's to wet. Let it dry. If it springs back right away it's probably dry enough but let it dry even more.
Also packing to lose or to tight can cause issues.
Lastly slow down and sip your pipe and enjoy.
Happy New Year everyone
Lager
Swishing some whisky around my mouth seems to help reduce it.
It’s funny, and interesting, how we all differ. Some say avoiding alcohol is better, but I don’t know. I love whisky, so I don’t mind having a wee dram with a pipe occasionally.
An english mixture with the most smoky scotch is my piping heaven.
Otherwise a good english tea 🧐
Swishing whiskey in my mouth seems to reduce the unpleasant affects of many experiences, not just tongue bite 😉
I love to have a drink too I just avoid certain blends when I do drink. My favourite smokes when having whisky or bourbon are hh old dark fired or nightcap. They really compliment my drink and voce versa.
Thanks All ...good info ...especially @Lee, the pipe material itself! I never considered the briar vs cob vs meerschaum vs clay as being a major factor with tongue bite ...possibly because all my pipes (13 at this point) are briar. 🙃
I'm no expert but I heard not drawing in the smoke directly on the tongue. More into your mouth. Sort of like the Peterson pipes with the hole facing up.
I smoke tobacco with just a bit of humidity. I lit the tobacco with calm in 2-3 short flame apps with light tamping in between. I respite normally with my mouth closed and feel how smoke enters slowly in my mouth. Every 2-3 breaths I open my mouth and retrohale the smoke, then I feel a lot of flavor in my nose. I syncronice breathing and smoke. Never smoke quickly. That's one of the reasons why I smoke alone and with nothing distracting me from my concentration in feeling the flavor. Anyone Smoking this way is impossible to feel tongue bite.
I'll add one more, I make my own toothpaste with baking soda, coconut oil, and some essential oils (cinnamon for flavour; clove and oregano for oral hygiene). The baking soda really helps for PH balance and the coconut oil soothes the mouth.
Been at this only a few months but I believe the old wisdom about damper tobacco = more likely to bite. The excess vapor/steam being put off along with the smoke fries the tongue more readily than smoke alone. Not quite sure how it works but it seems to explain it. Chugging it makes it worse, faster.
Well my fellows, maybe you won't like what I'm about to say, but somedays it's good to take a rest from smoking and let mouth and pipes take a little pause...
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