A review of more than 850 historical newspaper reports reveals that the daring act of licking frozen metal in childhood can sometimes cause serious injuries, providing valuable insight into who is at risk and how these accidents should be responded to.
Research: Demographics and outcomes of tongue freezing: a detailed review of Scandinavian tundra tongue cases. Image credit: Anna Pasichnyk/Shutterstock.com
For at least 250 years, newspapers have reported stories of children freezing their tongues to cold metal. This is a phenomenon called “tundra tongue.” However, there is little evidence to determine whether this represents a significant health risk. In a recent scope review, IInternational Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology Examining historical newspaper data to highlight the need for preventive health guidelines.
Freezing tongue on metal: a little-studied winter injury
The scientific literature contains only one case report of tundra tongue, involving the son of the author who first used this name for the disease. All other records are from journalistic sources obtained from Norwegian, Swedish and Danish newspaper databases.
In the 1990s, the Norwegian government introduced regulations requiring insulation of play equipment. This sparked a national debate. Some agreed that such an incident did occur. Others considered the measure unnecessary and suggested that such incidents could be treated as teaching opportunities.
Interestingly, there is little research into how the tongue responds to extreme cold. Injuries to the oral cavity and lips after exposure to extreme cold (inhalation of propellants or prolonged contact with ice cream) have been reported, but there are few descriptions of the tundra tongue.
Similarly, expert-based guidelines for emergency management of tundra tongue do not yet exist. First aid strategies developed by Ignite Healthwise and published by the province of Alberta, Canada, include using warm water or air to dissect the adhesions and apply pressure to control bleeding.
Historical newspaper report reveals pattern of tundra tongue cases
This review examined 113 incidents reported in newspapers from Scandinavian archives, describing incidents from 11 countries on two continents. There were a total of 856 reports of these incidents, most of them from multiple newspapers. Almost all (96%) involved children, with a median age of 5.25 years. 63% were boys.
The earliest reports date back to 1845 and concern a schoolboy and a metal bridge in France. The boy was able to free himself despite losing the skin on his tongue and lips. The highest number of cases was reported in the 1950s and has since declined. This decrease does not correlate with the Norwegian regulations, as most of the metal objects involved are not related to playgrounds.
Most of the incidents were widely reported, with one being published in 76 newspapers. Most of the reported cases were in Norway (46%), followed by Sweden and Denmark (24% and 16%, respectively). However, the authors comment that most incidents are never reported in newspapers.
Outdoor metal surfaces pose the greatest freezing risk
Tongues were most commonly frozen to railings (40%), followed by fences (13%), and less frequently to lampposts and other metal objects. Many involved imitation, including a story about six children who imitated newspaper reports. One child got stuck on the tracks, but luckily he was found and the oncoming train was diverted to another track.
Very few cases occurred indoors. However, in one incident, multiple children suffered tongue lacerations after being fed ice cream stored in dry ice.
The temperature at the time of the incident was reported in only 18 cases, with a median of -16.5 °C and a range of -10 °C to -23 °C. Tundra tongues were not observed at temperatures above -8°C.
The most common way to unclog your tongue with warm water
Methods used to release the tongue include the use of water (30%); Other liquids such as glycerol, coffee, and whiskey. Heat with a car lighter or denatured alcohol. Or they might cut out their tongues with a penknife. In one case, they were reportedly stuck for 90 minutes.
The authors note that many of these methods were dangerous or involved the use of force. The recommended method uses warm water above 0 °C, but not boiling water (>45-50 °C) or hazardous liquids. If warm water is not available, placing your hands around the adhesion site and breathing through the mouth are alternatives.
Severity and consequences
While 18% were involved Physician’s attention, 11% required police or fire assistance, 9% Some cases even resulted in hospitalization.
The results ranged in severity. Most cases were accompanied by pain, emotional distress, or mild bleeding. Some children had to be hospitalized, and some required part of their tongues to be removed or stitches. One child developed a systemic infection.
The authors reported three main types of severe injuries. The first is caused by freezing itself, where the formation of ice crystals causes immediate tissue damage ranging from temporary white spots to permanent scarring. The second occurred when the tongue was forcibly pulled away from a metal surface, causing ulceration and bleeding of unknown depth, but there is limited data on how exposure conditions affect these injuries. The third occurs when a person becomes unable to free themselves from a metal surface, becomes immobile, and is at risk of hypothermia.
Restrictions
Only cases published in newspapers were considered, which may have introduced selection bias. Furthermore, quality assessment was not possible in this century of reviews. Some reports may have been missed due to inaccurate transcription or use of different terminology. However, most incidents were reported in multiple newspapers, which prevented publicized incidents from being overlooked.
The authors also note that some historical newspaper archives remain incomplete or only partially digitized, which may limit the identification of events.
Easy prevention can avoid painful cold metal accidents
During the winter, children, especially boys, are at risk of developing tundra tongue. Although serious injuries are rare, the documented risks are enough to alert parents and policy makers to the potential for harm and take preventive measures. This should include education about the harms of such actions and how to safely touch cold metal.
Recommendations regarding gentle operation and hot water should be widely disseminated to ensure the safe management of such incidents.
Click here to download your PDF copy.
Reference magazines:
-
Armond, Almond, Thorefsen, Southeastern, Saxaug, British Columbia, et al. (2026). Demographics and outcomes of tongue freezing: a detailed review of Scandinavian tundra tongue cases. International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology. Toi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijporl.2026.112740. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165587626000352
