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Minor tongue injuries, such as accidentally biting your tongue during a meal, rarely cause significant trauma. However, have been some instances where an accidental blow to the chin from a sports injury or household falls causes a person to bite down hard on the tongue.

In a moment like this, the severity of the trauma can vary. Most of the time, some basic first-aid measure will help minimize pain and bleeding while seeking professional treatment.

If there is debris or excess blood in your might you might be able to gently rinse it away with a little lukewarm saltwater. This might also help soothe traumatized tissues. You might also be able to lessen pain by lightly applying a small amount of topical oral anesthetic.

Minor bleeding might be managed by wrapping the wounded area in sterile gauze and pressing your tongue to the roof of your mouth.

If your tongue is bleeding excessively or you’ve somehow bitten through it you should not delay in seeking care at the Emergency Room or from a trained oral care professional like Dr. Mark A. Osenieks.

If you are in the Grand Rapids, Michigan, region and you have just suffered a significant tongue injury or some other form of oral trauma, you should consider calling (616) 453-0002 to seek treatment at Mark Osenieks, DDS, PC’s clinic.