Biting down on your lip ortongueusually happens unexpectedly. For example, you might just be chewing, and you bite wrong and end up hurting yourself. You might also bite yourself in the course of falling or another accident.
While biting your tongue can result in quite a bit of bleeding, these wounds heal reasonably quickly because the tongue has an excellent blood supply.
But there are instances where biting down on your lip or tongue requires medical attention. This article explains what steps you can take at home and when you should seek help.
Verywell / Nusha Ashjaee
First Aid for Lip or Tongue Bites
If you have bitten your lip or tongue, follow these steps:
Be careful if you apply ice or a cold pack to the outside of your mouth. Make sure it’s wrapped in a cloth rather than applied directly to the skin. Otherwise, you might end up damaging your skin from the cold.
While Healing
It may be necessary to take anover-the-counter (OTC) pain relief medicationto manage discomfort from your injury. In addition, be aware that acidic or salty foods might make the area sting.So, you may want to avoid those types of foods until it heals. You can rinse with water after eating or drinking to help.
As the wound heals, watch for any signs of infection, such as:
If you suspect the area has become infected, see your dentist or physician as soon as possible.
How to Treat a Cut in Your Mouth
When to See a Doctor or Dentist
Often, mouth injuries heal on their own. However, you should seek medical attention if you have any of the following problems:
Children are at high risk for biting their lip or cheek after beinganesthetized for dental work.
Do I Need Stitches for This Wound?
Summary
Biting your lip or tongue can cause significant pain. Fortunately, most of the time, the injuries are superficial and heal at home. However, it’s a good idea to clean your wound to lessen the likelihood of an infection. Most wounds will show signs of healing within a few days. If they last longer than this, or if bleeding is profuse or won’t stop, seek medical care right away.
6 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Hennessy BJ.Tongue trauma. Merck Manual Professional Version.Hennessy BJ.Tongue injuries. Merck Manual Consumer Version.US National Library of Medicine. MedlinePlus.Canker sores.US National Library of Medicine. MedlinePlus.Bleeding.Stanford Children’s Health.Cuts and wounds of the mouth and lips.Ramazani N.Different aspects of general anesthesia in pediatric dentistry: A review.Iran J Pediatr. 2016;26(2):e2613. doi:10.5812/ijp.2613Additional ReadingAmerican Dental Association.Dental emergency.
6 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Hennessy BJ.Tongue trauma. Merck Manual Professional Version.Hennessy BJ.Tongue injuries. Merck Manual Consumer Version.US National Library of Medicine. MedlinePlus.Canker sores.US National Library of Medicine. MedlinePlus.Bleeding.Stanford Children’s Health.Cuts and wounds of the mouth and lips.Ramazani N.Different aspects of general anesthesia in pediatric dentistry: A review.Iran J Pediatr. 2016;26(2):e2613. doi:10.5812/ijp.2613Additional ReadingAmerican Dental Association.Dental emergency.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Hennessy BJ.Tongue trauma. Merck Manual Professional Version.Hennessy BJ.Tongue injuries. Merck Manual Consumer Version.US National Library of Medicine. MedlinePlus.Canker sores.US National Library of Medicine. MedlinePlus.Bleeding.Stanford Children’s Health.Cuts and wounds of the mouth and lips.Ramazani N.Different aspects of general anesthesia in pediatric dentistry: A review.Iran J Pediatr. 2016;26(2):e2613. doi:10.5812/ijp.2613
Hennessy BJ.Tongue trauma. Merck Manual Professional Version.
Hennessy BJ.Tongue injuries. Merck Manual Consumer Version.
US National Library of Medicine. MedlinePlus.Canker sores.
US National Library of Medicine. MedlinePlus.Bleeding.
Stanford Children’s Health.Cuts and wounds of the mouth and lips.
Ramazani N.Different aspects of general anesthesia in pediatric dentistry: A review.Iran J Pediatr. 2016;26(2):e2613. doi:10.5812/ijp.2613
American Dental Association.Dental emergency.
Meet Our Medical Expert Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
What is your feedback?
