Accidentally biting the edge of your tongue while chewing gum or eating food rarely causes enough damage to warrant first aid. Unfortunately, there are rare instances when an accident, blow to the face or sports injury can result in a significant tongue injury. In a situation like this, Dr. Daniel Sahutske offers a few essential first-aid tips for taking care of an injured tongue.
It’s important to get a clear understanding of the significance of your lip injury. If you have blood or debris in your mouth, you can rinse them away with lukewarm saltwater.
If your tongue is bleeding excessively, or if you’ve somehow bitten through it, then you should seek care in an emergency room or urgent-care clinic.
If your tongue is bleeding, you could try to control the bleeding by wrapping it in a few layers of sterile gauze and applying light pressure. If you can’t easily hold the gauze with your fingers, you might be able to press the injured part of your tongue to the roof of your mouth.
If the bleeding continues for more than 20 minutes or if you find that the pain is getting worse, you should strongly consider going to the emergency room or urgent-care facility to seek further treatment.
If you would like more tips on how to provide basic first aid for oral injuries in Oxford, Michigan, you can always call Oxford Lakes Dental Care at 248-628-2540 to seek further advice from your dentist.