Clinical Reference Systems: Pediatric Advisor 10.0
Spanish version
Mouth Injury - Brief Version
What is a mouth injury?
Cuts of the tongue and insides of the cheeks are usually
caused by accidentally biting oneself during eating. Cuts
and bruises of the lips are usually caused by falls. A tear
of the piece of tissue connecting the upper lip to the gum
is very common and harmless.
Cuts in the mouth usually don't require stitches except for
loose flaps of tissue or gaping wounds of the tongue. Small
cuts and scrapes inside the mouth heal in 3 or 4 days.
Infections of mouth injuries are rare. You'll have
difficulty finding where the injury was in a few weeks.
How can I take care of my child?
- Stop any bleeding.
Press the bleeding site against the teeth or jaw for
10 minutes. For bleeding from the tongue, squeeze the
bleeding site with sterile gauze. If you don't have
gauze, use a clean cloth. Once bleeding from inside the
lip stops, don't pull the lip out again to look at it.
- Pain relief.
Put a piece of ice on the area that was injured as often
as necessary. Give acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen
(Advil) for pain.
- Diet.
For a day or so, offer your child soft food. Avoid any
salty or citrus foods that might sting. Keep food out of
the wound by rinsing the area with warm water after
meals.
Call your child's doctor right away:
- There is a cut that is deep or gaping.
- The injury is to the back of the throat, tonsil, or soft
palate.
Call your child's doctor during office hours if:
- The area looks infected, especially if the pain or
swelling increases after 48 hours. (Note: Any healing
wound in the mouth is normally white for several days.)
- A fever occurs.
- You have other concerns or questions.
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