It’s a painful thing to be chewing and suddenly bite your tongue. It may be even more painful if you bite your tongue during an accident. Tongue bites can be no big deal, or they can be pretty serious, depending on the depth of the injury.
How do you know if you need medical attention for your tongue bite? What’s the best way to heal a tongue bite?
Beavers and Broomfield Family Dentistry knows how to treat tongue bites and has tips to help prevent repeated tongue bites. There are dental appliances that may help you, or it may take something more, such as orthodontic treatment.
Why Do I Bite My Tongue?
It’s not unusual to bite your tongue on occasion, particularly with vigorous chewing. If you bite your tongue on a regular basis, however, it could indicate more serious dental issues. Frequent bites could be because your teeth are not aligned properly, making it easier to bite your cheek or tongue.
You may bite your tongue in your sleep because you grind your teeth in your sleep. Grinding your teeth can cause a lot of dental issues. Talk to your dentist about a night guard to help you with grinding or biting during your sleep. You may also bite your tongue because you thrust it against your teeth.
There are other instances when people bite their tongues. Often, people accidentally bite their tongues as a result of an injury. An injury from playing sports or a traumatic injury from car accidents or falls that can’t be prevented. Making sure you wear a mouth guard while playing sports is a great way to prevent mouth injuries.
How Serious Is My Tongue Bite?
Most tongue bites from eating aren’t serious. Your tongue will likely hurt a bit. It’s possible you can break the tissue and bleed.
However, if the bleeding soon stops or the wound doesn’t bleed at all, chances are it’s not very serious. You can place a piece of gauze or a dry cloth on your tongue to stop the bleeding.
A tongue bite may be serious if the bleeding persists or if the wound appears to be deep. In that case, it may be a good idea to get evaluated at an urgent care clinic or your local dentist. In the Fayetteville, AR, area, you can call Beavers and Broomfield Family Dentistry for an evaluation. We can tell you whether your tongue bite will heal on its own or if you should seek medical attention.
How to Heal a Bit Tongue
What should you do if you bite your tongue? It depends on the situation. In most cases, you can put gauze on the tongue to stop the bleeding. Make sure to chew more carefully to avoid hurting your tongue further.
If the bite hurts or bleeds, you can wrap an ice cube in a clean cloth or some gauze and press it to the wound. The ice will reduce the pain, slow or stop the bleeding, and reduce swelling.
If you consistently bite your tongue, you may need dental treatment to stop. We can recommend treatment with a bite plate to keep you from grinding your teeth and biting your tongue at night. A tongue crib can train your tongue to stay back from your teeth, avoiding frequent bites. We may recommend orthodontic treatment if your teeth are misaligned, causing frequent tongue bites.
What happens if you have a serious tongue bite or if you bit your tongue and it won’t heal? In those cases, you may need to see a doctor. You can get a bit of tongue infection if the bite is not cleaned properly or kept clean as it heals.
Severe tongue bite treatment may be needed by a medical professional like stitches. If your tongue bite remains painful and swollen, bleeds or swells, or if you have an infected tongue bite, contact your doctor right away.
Tongue Care in Fayetteville, AR
Tongue bites can be painful, but most of the time, they will heal on their own. Keep brushing and flossing, but clean your tongue with a dry cloth instead of brushing it until the wound heals. Avoid spicy, acidic, or crunchy foods that could irritate the wound.
Check with a doctor if the wound continues to bleed or appears deep. Contact Beavers and Broomfield Family Dentistry if you need a dentist in Fayetteville, AR, for a dental evaluation of your wound or even if you have questions. We are here to help!
