How to Handle a Bitten or Cut Lip, Cheek, or Tongue

If you end up biting or cutting your lip, cheek, or tongue, the first thing that you need to do is stay calm. There are a ton of blood vessels that show up in the tissues around the mouth, so it is possible for a minor wound to look a lot worse than it really is. You may bleed a lot, even if the issue is small. A good first step here, other than panicking, is to wash the area gently and then control any of the bleeding that you see with a towel or moist gauze, keeping some firm pressure on the area to get it to stop bleeding.

If you notice there is some swelling on that area of the mouth, then consider using a cold compress. Most injuries that happen to the mouth will not be that serious and have the ability to heal on their own. You should keep the area as clean as possible to avoid infections. A good way to keep the area clean is to do a mixture of water and hydrogen peroxide a few times a day.

When the area is bleeding and you are not able to get it to stop after about twenty minutes, it is time to talk to your dentist. If the cut is deep, looks like it extends onto the face, or if there is a puncture through the cheek or lip, then you need to let your dentist know about this. If there are signs that an infection is forming in that area, then you need to get into the ER or the dentist as soon as possible.

You will need to assess some of the damage and figure out whether you need to visit the dentist or not. Most of the time these cuts will be small and if you just stop the bleeding and take care to keep the area clean so it does not suffer from infection, then you will be fine. If the area looks like it is getting worse or the cut is deep, you may need more help with that.

When there are some problems with your cheeks, lips, or tongue, you will want to take the time to visit your dentist. They can assess the damage and determine what steps you should take to keep your mouth safe and healthy. Our emergency dentist in Dublin can provide you with some of the assistance that you need with this one, answering your questions and providing the high-quality services that you are looking for as well. When you have a dental emergency, trust us to be there to help every step of the way.