Dead Tastebud - Lie Bumps - Inflamed Tastebud - Tongue Zit - Tongue Ulcer...

Whatever you call them - they sure hurt like H@#$! :o)

Ok, the reason I'm writing about this is because, dang it, I have one on the very end of my tongue and the pain from accidentally rubbing it against my tooth woke me up out of a dead sleep.  So I laid there pondering -- just what the heck are these stupid things, and how can I make it stop hurting or just go away!?  Of course my answer was to write the good people of Gather and see what they know :o)

What is it?

I had always been told they are dead tastebuds.  So, I Googled "dead tastebuds" - I found this site (http://ask.metafilter.com/mefi/30642) with cute explanations, remedies (snipping them off with fingernail clippers - Holy Cow that seems harsh!), alternate names (hence the title of this stupid article that you are reading) and actual explanation from a real dentist (who calls them 'lie bumps' - how can you believe this guy?).  The majority of the commentors think they come from eating either too much sugar, cinnamon, acidy foods, or sour foods (sour patch kids seem to be the main culprate).  The dentist states that it is due to trauma to the tongue (sounds so wierd -- like your tongue was in an accident or somthing) from either rubbing, scraping or biting that removes the surface of the fungiform papillae (the normal bumps on your tongue).

Cures Please!

Well, the peoples cures went from the extremes (see above comment) to gargling with salt water, to just sucking it up for a few days (but they hurt so badly, I lost sleep over it, I want immediate relief, wah, wah, wha!).  The freindly, but very technical, dentist suggests using an over-the-counter medication such as OraBase or Zilactin.  Well, I want your advice!  What do you call them? What have you done to relieve the pain, are you a snipper or a suck-it-upper?  Let's share some good (legal) cures People!