765-348-4111 Slipping on ice or suffering a household fall often evokes fearful images of a broken arm or leg. However, there are other times when these accidents can impact the chin causing your to bite down hard on your tongue.
Assessing the severity of the problem and the need for a physician’s care often calls for applying some basic first-aid principles.
If your tongue is bleeding excessively or you are in extreme pain, you should strongly consider seeking professional care at an Emergency Room.
If necessary, you can gently rinse your mouth with lukewarm saltwater can help clear away any blood or debris lingering in your mouth. This can also help soothe injured tissues. You shouldn’t use antiseptic mouthwash as it can easily irritate the tongue injury.
If it’s needed you can control minor bleeding by wrapping your tongue in a few layers of sterile gauze and apply light pressure. If you can’t easily hold the gauze with fingers, you might want to try pressing it to the roof of your mouth.
If your tongue continues to bleed for more than half an hour or the pain continues to escalate, you should strongly consider going the Emergency Room to seek professional care.
If you live in the Hartford City, Indiana, area and you need further advice for treating a tongue injury, you can always call 765-348-4111 to speak to Dr. Raymond Maddox or a member of staff at Maddox Family Dental Center.