There are all types of little accidents or daily happenstances that can cause injury. Oftentimes when it comes to dental health, specifically, we tend to think about issues like broken or cracked teeth, exposed nerves, broken jaws or other trauma to the teeth, gums or jaw. But the fact of the matter is that the tongue is a very common victim of oral trauma. There are many different ways that you can injure your tongue, even in seemingly carefree activities that take place every day.
Most commonly, severe biting of the tongue occurs during sports or some other physical activity. It is very common in combat sports such as karate or mixed martial arts, boxing, wrestling and to a lessor extent in contact sports such as football and basketball. Accidents at work or while driving can also cause a person to bite down on their tongue with enough force to cause serious damage.
Some people may also suffer from medical issues such as seizures, which may result in this sort of occurrence. Regardless of the exact reasons that someone may injure their tongue in this manner, immediate action needs to be taken.
Immediate Care
The first thing that needs to be determined is how severe the problem is and does it require medical attention. If it does, then that should be handled immediately and accordingly. However, if the problem isn’t serious enough to warrant emergency care, then the area should be cleaned right away. Gently wiping with a piece of gauze or a damp cloth works best. Make sure there is no debris in the wound.
After that, rinsing with cold water is advisable. For other cuts or lacerations in the mouth, salt water or a hydrogen peroxide solution may also be used. Try to slow the bleeding by holding a clean towel or piece of gauze on firmly on the area. If it doesn’t stop, you should call 9-1-1 immediately. If it does stop, however, the final step would be to hold a cold compress on your tongue to help reduce welling. Once you have followed these steps, we highly recommend getting in touch with us as soon as possible afterwards so we can take a further look at the issue.
If your injury doesn’t require emergency medical care, then contacting the dental health experts here at Holman Family Dentistry at (479) 795-1101 to have your tongue looked at is strongly suggested. Just give us a call at 479.646.0706 to schedule an appointment to come by. Although you may not need immediate attention, this is still a problem shouldn’t be ignored for very long.
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