The biting tongue is an awful experience for everyone. Most of us have had this experience at least once in our lifelong. Once you bit your tongue, you feel that you cannot eat or drink anything for a short period of time. You may wonder hearing that biting the tongue severely is considered to be one of the dental emergency issues. When children bit their tongue, it is usually minor but severe for adults. In minor cases, the injury heals on its own within a week. But on another one, medical care is usually needed. As an expert at Walk In Dental Clinic, people think bleeding after biting indicates emergency attention, but it is wrong.
Our tongue is a sensitive part of our body. It starts bleeding even with a very small bite. So, do not get worried if you observe bleeding. You may bite your tongue when you are running and fall suddenly. It may also happen in sports injuries and accidents. Chewing hard can be even another cause of biting your tongue. Sometimes some people are used to grinding their teeth and biting their tongue at night when sleeping. A strong bite can lead to tongue bleeding. If you are used to doing this, it is better to visit a specialist and get a consultation to stop this habit.
As mentioned above, most cases are minor ones. You can solve this tiny problem at home. First of all, wash your hands carefully. Use soap and warm water to avoid bacteria enter your mouth. Do not touch your tongue with dirty hands at all. If your tongue is bleeding (not severely), first rinse it to make it clear to observe. Then press your tongue gently. In this way, a blood clot will be made and stops bleeding. Until you feel pain in your tongue, avoid eating hard and crunchy foods. Choose soft and watery foods. Cold compress is a good remedy to help to reduce the swelling.
So, when is it considered an emergency case?
Emergency Medical Attention
If you:
- Bite your tongue, and then it starts bleeding severely and permanently,
- Bleeding stops but starts again,
- You feel an awful unbearable pain,
- Your tongue’s form has changed clearly,
- You feel having a fever,
You should go to an emergency dental clinic to get help. When you bite your tongue, you are aware of what you have done and how it has happened. This circumstance helps the doctor a lot. The doctor examines your wound and its severity. Sometimes, just painkillers and over-the-counter pain relievers are prescribed to help you tolerate the pain until the healing time is passed. But if the wound is so large, and there is no way to stop the bleeding, there is no way except to stitch your wound. Of course, this is a very rare case.
Ignoring the Problem
As mentioned above, the biting tongue is not usually an emergency problem. But if you ignore this problem, further complications will happen. Infection is one of the issues of neglecting your wound. This infection may spread to other parts of your body and result in more complicated oral and overall health.
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