Biting your tongue is a common accident. It can be scary, because tongue tend to bleed a lot, especially if it’s a particularly bad bite. If it happens to you, remember us at OnCall Dental in Fresno.
There are lots of different ways to accidentally bite the tongue. It seems to happen to children more than adults, either on the playground or the playing field.
But a bit tongue can happen to anyone at any age, from a household accident to a car accident, from a fight to something behavioral, like unconscious chewing or an epileptic seizure.
What To Do First
A bit tongue is not automatically a dental emergency, though it might be. Home treatment may be enough. If there is a lot of bleeding, getting it stopped is your first priority.
- Apply pressure with a sterile gauze pad or a piece of clean cloth.
- If you need to put your hands in an injured person’s mouth, or they need to put their hands in yours, use medical gloves.
- Inspect the mouth for pieces of teeth, or anything else that may be there.
- Control any swelling with ice cubes wrapped in cloth. Ice pops can substitute.
What To Do Next
It’s important to keep the wound clean. Rinse the mouth out with a salt water solution every fifteen minutes. Use a cup of warm water with a teaspoon of salt.
If bleeding continues for more than fifteen minutes, it’s time to give us a call. We may want you to come in for an inspection and treatment.
Accidentlaly bit tongues happen sometimes, and there is nothing anyone can do about it. You can minimize the risk, though, by always wearing a mouthguard when playing sports, babyproofing your house, always wearing a seatbelt when driving, and always make sure small kids are in an appropriate car seat. People with health issues like epilepsy should make sure friends and relatives know what to do during a seizure.
At OnCall Dental in Fresno and Hanford we have treated many knocked out teeth, and other dental emergencies. In an emergency no appointment is needed. Walk-ins are always welcome!
