It’s not unheard of for a hard fall or blow to the face to injure your tongue or cause you to bite down on it very hard. If the injury to your lip is severe you should consider going to the emergency room.
You can use lukewarm salt water to rinse away any blood or debris lingering in your mouth. This can also help soothe injured tissues. You shouldn’t use antiseptic mouthwash as it can easily irritate the tongue injury. Try to avoid swallowing too much blood as this could cause stomach upset and nausea.
If your tongue is bleeding, you can wrap it in a few layers of sterile gauze and apply light pressure. If you can’t easily hold the gauze with fingers, you could try pressing your tongue to the roof of your mouth.
If after 20 minutes, the bleeding persists or you feel that the pain is getting worse, you should strongly consider going the emergency room to seek further treatment. You might need a physician to stitch the wound closed.
If you have questions about the best way to deal with an injured tongue or you would like us to look at it, please feel free to call 541-699-4200 to schedule an appointment.