Ouch! I bit my lip!

It happens to the best of us. At some point in your life or several times over the course of a lifetime you may bite your lip, cheek or tongue. Of course biting your lip it isn’t a planned event, but it sure is painful. Sometimes dental patients bite their lip, tongue or cheek after receiving anesthesia from receiving a dental procedure. This painful experience usually passes with slight irritation, but sometimes a serious bite requires medical attention. If you accidentally bite your lip from being numb, or another oral accident here are the steps to take to help the situation if it’s a bad bite.

If you bite through your lip, cheek or tongue, check the area for any contamination especially if you have experienced a fall in which debris gets into the wound. You can control bleeding from the bite wound by applying firm pressure with a clean towel or gauze. Keep applying pressure to the area until bleeding stops. If bleeding is persistent or the wound is serious have someone drive you to the nearest medical center that provides immediate care. Bad bites may need stitches for proper healing, however most bites will heal on their own.

If you are able to stop the bleeding, it’s a good idea to apply ice or a cold compress to the bite area to help reduce swelling and help ease the pain. A bad bite will be sore so taking over the counter pain medication that has an anti-inflammatory will help. As a mouth wound heals, it is important to keep it clean and watch for signs of infection. The mouth houses a host of bacteria and it is easy for a cut in the mouth to become infected. Be sure to keep the area clean, teeth brushed and drink lots of water to wash mouth several times a day. If the mouth wound begins to be red, swollen or sensitive it is important to schedule an emergency appointment with your dentist or physician to treat the infection properly.

Posted on behalf of Grateful Dental

2000 Powers Ferry Rd SE, #1, Marietta, GA 30067

Phone: (678) 593-2979