Demography and outcomes of frozen tongue: a scoping review of Scandinavian tundra tongue cases

Children occasionally adhere their tongues to cold metal surfaces during winter (“tundra tongue”), but little is known about the epidemiology and outcomes of these cases. We therefore conducted a scoping review to explore the following questions: who experience tundra tongue, under which circumstances does it occur, and what are the outcomes? Systematic searches were performed to identify case reports published in historical newspapers from Norway, Sweden and Denmark using national library databases. Epidemiological data were charted manually from newspaper items describing actual (not metaphorical) frozen tongues. Among 17 009 unique search hits, 856 reports of 113 different cases were found. Almost all cases (96%) involved children, median age 5.25 years, and boys were in majority (63%). Tongues were most often frozen to railings (40%). Ambient temperature was reported in 18 cases with median -16.5 °C. Outcomes ranged from discomfort to potential amputation of tongue tissue, with 20 (18%) cases involving a doctor or a hospital. Severe injuries were reported in several cases through three distinct mechanisms: (1) the direct effect of cold on tissue, (2) detachment injuries, and (3) the consequences of immobility. In conclusion, parents, health care professionals and policy makers should not underestimate the potential harm of the tundra tongue.