Injuries inside your mouth can be annoyingly painful. While it’s common to develop cuts inside your mouth, it can prevent you from eating or talking properly. At times, you might be compelled to hold back a smile, as stretching the lips might hurt!
While you do have an emergency dentist Texas like Teledentistry, to bail you out of the pain, you should know the right way to deal with injuries inside the mouth. First, if you sustain any injury in the soft tissues inside your mouth, don’t hesitate to consult an emergency dentist.
Well, ignoring the cuts would amount to anguish. You won’t be able to take hot beverages or citrus fruits. Then your cheeks and lips might swell, further adding to your woes.
Why do mouth injuries hurt so much?
The amount of space inside your mouth is relatively small. However, you have plenty of blood vessels there. This implies that cuts and injuries inside your mouth are likely to cause more bleeding and pain. Not all these injuries require emergency medication. However, delayed medical attention can aggravate the situation, resulting in infection and further pain.
Your tongue, lips, and soft tissues are some of the most delicate parts of your body. Even a small bump can tear the thin skin. Whether you accidentally bite the skin or bruise your lips, the pain can haunt you for days.
Most of the wounds in the outer or inner lips are minor. However, some lip injuries can be more serious, like the ones you experience during accidents. In case you have profuse bleeding or pain, make sure to consult an emergency dentist.
How to treat a cut inside your mouth?
If you have a cut on the roof of your mouth, gums, tongue, or the inside of your cheek, follow these guidelines before seeking professional help.
- Clean your hands in the first place before handling the wound.
- Use water to clean the cut after and remove debris from the mouth.
- If you are bleeding, slow it down by pressing the wound with a soft piece of cloth or towel. Hold it in place to stop the bleeding.
- You can suck a popsicle, which can help reduce the pain and swelling. However, if a child has sustained an internal mouth injury, don’t give ice cubes to them. This might make them susceptible to choking.
- Before applying any medicine or cream inside your mouth, reach out to the emergency dentists at Teledentistry.
Treating cuts and wounds inside your mouth
Before you reach your dentist, make sure to clean the wounded areas inside your mouth. Medical professionals recommend using a solution of hydrogen peroxide and water in a 1:1 ratio. Swish your mouth with this solution after taking your meals.
Also, use salt water to rinse the wound. This also prevents bacterial infections in your mouth. Make sure not to swallow these solutions. When you put hydrogen peroxide on your lips, it might produce a little foam. When you use these solutions to clean the wound, no debris or dirt will be left. This would allow the affected area to heal faster.
What are the risk factors for wounds inside your mouth?
Even if you can bear the pain, it’s wise to consult a dentist. Untreated wounds inside your mouth can spread to other parts like gums and the nerve endings of your jaws. Here are some of the common risk factors of leaving these wounds untreated.
Infection
A wound inside your mouth would leave the skin exposed and open. This makes the area susceptible to infection. Bacteria and viruses tend to enter your blood and tissues through these open oral wounds. This can aggravate to dangerous complications, leading to further irritations.
Scarring
The last thing to expect from a mouth injury is scarring. This might alter the shape of your mouth. When the wound appears on the lip line, make sure to seek emergency dental treatment. The same applies if you have a wound where the lower and upper lips meet. In case of a large wound, your doctor might stitch it to ensure even healing.
When should you see an emergency dentist?
Here are some symptoms that indicate the requirement for emergency dental care. If you experience any of these, don’t waste time treating yourself at home.
- The bleeding continues even after ten minutes of sustaining the injury
- You have a deep cut resulting from a bite, bump, or accident
- You have a long cut of half an inch or even larger
- The cut in your mouth resulted from a human or animal bite or rusty metal, or a puncture
- The edges of the cut appear to be rough
- Your mouth has debris that you are unable to clear
- You detect signs of infection like redness, discoloration, or draining fluid
Common treatments for injuries inside your mouth
Although you might have a small wound inside your mouth, the pain can be agonizing enough for you to consult an emergency dentist. Here are some common treatments doctors administer for injuries inside your mouth.
- Antibiotics: Medical practitioners may prescribe antibiotics if they detect an infection in the wounded area. Make sure to complete the full round of medicines.
- Stitches: Deep cuts or punctures in your mouth might require stitches. Otherwise, the bleeding refuses to cease even after a long time. Stitches also help in retaining the original shape of the lips.
- Tetanus shot: Your emergency dentist might recommend getting a tetanus shot if you got an internal mouth wound from rusty metal.
Endnote
While it’s tough to prevent internal mouth injuries, wounds and cuts inside your mouth take a relatively shorter time to heal than other parts of your body. However, you need to keep the wound clean. After the experts at Teledentistry administer the right medication to mitigate the pain and swelling, ensure to complete the entire course of medicines.
Besides, your doctor might recommend using hot or cold compresses to treat internal bruising or swelling. Sometimes, your dentist might require you to schedule a second visit after a few days. Follow the protocol and get the wound treated by experienced dentists for swift pain relief.
