Woman used to seal mail with her tongue. After a terrifying discovery, she vows never to lick an envelope again: ‘use some water’

TikToker Bxtchyraccoon is on a mission to ensure everyone stops licking envelopes. She recently took her platform to share a story she heard that left the creator vowing never to lick an envelope again. If the engagement on her post is anything to go by, all 668K of her TikTok viewers agree with her. As she warns in her caption, “It’s been ten years and I still think about this regularly. Beware the envelopes, use some water or just taped it closed or something smh.” 

Then just to make sure everyone was aware before they heard her story, she added on-screen text that cautioned, “Trigger Warning: Disturbing Content.” It is a fair warning, because she then shares a story she allegedly heard from a friend whose mother worked in an emergency department. The TikToker claims that while at her old office someone asked for an envelope wetter. 

She stated, “I was like, why would you need that? Don’t people just lick envelopes? The story that she told me has proceeded to haunt me to this day.” She was allegedly told, “So this man came in to the emergency department, and he said, man, my tongue really itches. I’ve taken antihistamines. I have brushed and brushed, and I can’t figure out what it is, and I just can’t take it anymore. I’m ready to rip my tongue out of my head.” 

Consequences to actions

According to the TikToker, the medical staff eventually decided to cut into the tongue because “The flesh of the tongue look like it was moving.” Then in a horrified tone she alleged, “They found maggots. They found larva. They have. They found maggots, larva in the tongue. Um. Because the man licked envelopes. Yeah, yeah. And there was. There was larva on the. On the. On the strip. And then he licked, and then it embedded in his tongue.”

Now, it should be noted that this is just her perspective, and it cannot be verified. Although she claims, “That’s not one of these, like, scary internet stories. That’s like a real story from a real person that worked in a real local ED.” Her story really struck a nerve with TikTok, and some mentioned they already had their own reasons for abandoning the act.

One user wrote, “I haven’t licked an envelope since that episode of criminal minds. Iykyk.” They of course refer to season 1 of the show, where a chemist laced the glue strips with a lethal botulinum toxin. Others took the original poster’s story to heart, with a user writing, “ok, well that’s enough TikTok for me today. I’m gonna go scrub my tongue with bleach.” 

Many others pointed to a common internet legend that has been circulating for decades. As the user wrote, “I get the pre sticky ones due to a story like that with roaches I’ve been traumatized ever since and that was 10 plus years ago.” This is from a common urban legend that has been around since at least the year 2000 involves a woman finding live cockroaches inside her tongue after licking an envelope. 

Colonial Pest Control debunked this specific story by pointing out several logical flaws. For instance, cockroach eggs are encased in a hardened shell about the size of a dried pea, making them very difficult to miss. Furthermore, they note that a hatching nymph would not simply bore into human tissue. However, in one recent case, a late night car repair came with a cockroach that burrowed into a man’s ear.

According to Letter Jacket Envelopes, the adhesives used on modern envelopes are generally non-toxic and regulated by the FDA. They are typically made from Gum Arabic, a natural substance derived from acacia trees that has been used for centuries in food and medicine. 

They noted that for the average person, licking an envelope poses minimal risk. However, hygiene concerns have led many businesses to switch to self-seal envelopes or automated sealing machines to increase efficiency and maintain a more professional, sanitary environment. In fact, in many cases, envelopes brought gifts, like $300 in a Goodwill Coach bag.

That said, there is a legitimate medical condition known as oral myiasis, which involves the infestation of fly larvae in human tissue. According to Dimensions of Dental Hygiene, this is a rare but serious condition, usually associated with poor oral hygiene, compromised health, or exposure in tropical climates. 

Ultimately, the scientific consensus suggests you don’t need to worry about larvae on your mail. If the idea still makes your skin crawl, Letter Jacket Envelopes pointed out plenty of modern, hygienic alternatives. Using a sponge, a moistener, or simply switching to peel-and-stick envelopes can save you from the stress, and keep your tongue safe from whatever might be lurking on that adhesive strip.