Burned Your Mouth? Pain Relief May Be On the Way

iStockphoto/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) -- If you’ve ever burned your mouth on a hot cup of coffee or a steaming hot slice of pizza, help is on the way.

Researchers at the University of New Mexico say they’ve developed a strip that applies directly to the roof of your mouth or your tongue, soothes the burn, and dissolves within a few days.

Dr. Jason McConville, a pharmacologist who developed it, describes the strip as a sort of bandage.

"You can put a small strip in your mouth and it would stick over," he said, comparing them to "breath freshening strips" that are currently on the market, only with "a pain relieving agent."

Eventually, McConville said, the strip could come in a variety of flavors.

"The fully-loaded film strip, in it's present form, would taste basically like mango and it is quite pleasant I believe," he said.

The strip is still in the development phase, but could be available as early as a year from now.

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