| Pizza palate | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Pizza mouth |
| Specialty | Dentistry · Oral medicine |
| Symptoms | Acute burning pain of the hard palate; erythema; superficial ulceration |
| Complications | Usually self-limited; secondary infection uncommon |
| Causes | Thermal injury from eating very hot pizza (especially molten cheese) or other overheated foods |
| Risk factors | Microwave-heated foods with uneven internal temperatures; adhesive melted cheese |
| Diagnostic method | Clinical examination; history of recent ingestion of hot food |
| Treatment | Immediate cooling (cold water/ice), oral analgesics, topical soothing agents; avoidance of further thermal/chemical irritation |
| Frequency | Not well quantified |
Pizza palate (also called pizza mouth) is a colloquial term for a thermal burn of the palatal mucosa caused by eating very hot pizza, typically when molten cheese adheres to the hard palate. The term appears in the dental literature as early as 1984. [1] Subsequent case reports describe central palatal burns after eating microwaved pizzas and other cheese-filled foods. [2] [3]
Patients typically report sudden pain or tenderness on the hard palate shortly after ingesting hot food. Exam may show erythema and superficial erosions or ulcerations, often near the molar region or along the mid-palate where melted cheese contacted the mucosa. [3] Consumer medical guidance distinguishes such acute, contact-related palate burns from chronic burning mouth syndrome. [4]
The injury results from thermal transfer from overheated food to the palatal mucosa. Microwaved items may be hazardous because internal fillings can retain heat while exterior surfaces feel cooler; viscous, adhesive toppings such as melted cheese prolong contact time and increase tissue damage. [2] [3] Reviews of oral mucosal burns list hot foods and drinks, particularly microwaved items, as common causes of superficial intraoral thermal injury. [5]
Diagnosis is clinical, based on a brief history of recent ingestion of hot food (often pizza) and characteristic superficial palatal lesions. The condition is distinct from burning mouth syndrome, which lacks an acute thermal trigger and has different evaluation and management. [1] [4]
First aid consists of promptly cooling the affected area (e.g., sipping cold water or using small ice chips) and avoiding further irritation from hot, spicy, or acidic foods. Over-the-counter oral analgesics and bland rinses (such as saline) are commonly recommended; most cases heal without specific treatment within several days. [4] Case reports and reviews note that topical agents and conservative management are typically sufficient for limited palatal burns; persistent, severe, or extensive injuries warrant professional evaluation. [3] [5]
The phrase pizza palate appears in a 1984 letter/case report in the Journal of the American Dental Association and has been cited in later dental and medical literature describing palatal thermal burns linked to pizza and similar foods. [1] [2]