If it seems like mouth injuries — that cut on the lip or that bit-up tongue — account for many of your little one's boo-boos (along with scraped knees and bumped heads), it's for good reason. For one thing, all that mouthing babies and toddlers do can lead to mouth injuries — especially when the object that found its way into your child's mouth is sharp.
Speaking of sharp, a tot's own teeth can take a toll on tender mouth tissue, particularly while he's getting the hang of chewing, but also when he's eating while distracted (some cheek with that chicken?) or on the move (another case for sit-down meals and snacks).
And of course, there are those inevitable slip ups, spills and tumbles — the ones that new sitters, crawlers, cruisers and walkers take, often biting their lips or tongues or banging their mouths on the way down.
How to treat mouth injuries in children
Mouth injuries in children usually look much worse than they really are. There are so many blood vessels in the areas near the head and neck that even a tiny cut on your little one's lip or tongue can cause a lot of bleeding (which can even make it difficult for you to figure out exactly where all that blood is coming from).[1]
It's bound to be a little scary (especially if you're the weak-kneed type) but try to stay calm — chances are you're dealing with a minor injury. Plus, the calmer you are, the faster your child will calm down.
Follow these steps to reduce the bleeding, ease the pain, prevent infection and start the healing:
Stop the bleeding
For bleeding from the outer lip or tongue, grab a piece of gauze or a clean cloth and run it first under cool water, if you can. Apply gentle pressure to the area for as long as possible.[2] Ten minutes of pressure is ideal, but may not be realistic if you have a squirming baby or toddler on your hands.
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For bleeding from the inner lip (upper or lower), gently press the part of the lip that's bleeding against your child's teeth (or gums) for 10 minutes (or as long as you're able, given the wriggling). Avoid pulling the lip after that to check out the damage — that will start the bleeding again.
Distract as you treat
If there were ever a time to put on a beloved YouTube video or pull out a favorite distraction (yes, even the usually forbidden iPhone), this would be it. The longer your child sits (relatively) still for treatment, the sooner the bleeding will stop.
Keep it cool
To numb the pain and reduce the swelling, apply a towel-wrapped ice pack (or a bag of frozen veggies) to the area. If your child's old enough to handle one, sucking on a Popsicle may also soothe a minor mouth injury.
Provide pain relief, as needed
Most mouth injuries don't keep a child down for long, but if your little one seems to be in a lot of discomfort, a dose of acetaminophen or ibuprofen (if he's older than 6 months) should ease the pain.
Feed with care
While the cut is on the mend, keep your little one's diet on the bland side. Anything salty, spicy or acidic — like orange juice — may sting.
If the cut is inside the mouth, a softer-than-usual diet may also be less likely to irritate him. Popsicles will continue to be a soothing treat. Rinsing with warm water after meals (if that skill has already been mastered) will keep food from accumulating in a mouth cut.
Give it a few days
Minor mouth injuries in children (and again, most are minor) usually heal in three to four days.
When to call the doctor about a mouth injury
You can usually treat most mouth injuries in children at home. But be sure to call the doctor under any of these circumstances:
- Heavy bleeding. It doesn't stop bleeding after 10 minutes of direct pressure — or you were unable to keep direct pressure on your squirmy child and he's still bleeding persistently.
- A deep, long or gaping cut. If it looks especially long or deep, get it checked out. Cuts on the outer lip, through the lip, through the tongue, or across the edge of the tongue should get assessed for stitches.
- Embedded debris or dirt. You'll want a doctor's help cleaning the wound to prevent infection.
- A puncture wound. A puncture to the roof of the mouth, back of the throat or tonsils (caused by your tot falling while holding a pencil, for example) can injure deeper tissues in the head or neck.
- A bone injury. For example, your child is unable to move his jaw or his cheekbone is significantly swollen.
- A broken, loose, missing or painful-to-the-touch tooth. In this case, call the dentist first.
- Signs of infection. You may notice localized redness, increased swelling and pain, or an unexplained fever in the first few days after the injury.
The source of your child's wound may also necessitate calling the doctor or heading to the emergency room:
- A dirty or rusty object. It's especially important to seek help if you're unsure whether your child is up-to-date on the tetanus vaccine.
- An animal or human bite. Bite wounds — animal or human — can get infected and progress quickly, so antibiotics might be necessary.
How to prevent mouth injuries in children
No matter how many precautions you take — or rules you set and enforce — chances are you won't be able to prevent every mouth injury. Still, they'll happen less often if you:
- Childproof your home. Take steps to discourage slipups and soften those inevitable falls. Stash slippery throw rugs for now, and make sure all area rugs have non-skid pads or backing. Pad table edges and anything else that's sharp.
- Steady those tiny feet. To cut down on trips and falls, let your cruising baby or fledgling walker practice those skills barefoot or in nonskid socks or slippers, when possible.
- Establish some house rules. Don't let your child walk or run while holding a sharp object. Likewise, don't let your little one walk or run with a toy in his mouth.
- Grab a chair. Make eating (even snacking) a sit-down affair.
- Serve smaller portions of food, so your little one doesn't try to jam too much food in his mouth at once (and bite down accidentally on his tongue or cheek).
- Buckle in. Always put your baby or toddler in a car seat to prevent injuries to the mouth or other parts of the body.
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