Tongue injuries come in a wide range of severity. A minor injury that occurs from accidentally nibbling on your lip while eating might cause some minor swelling, yet it is rarely a cause for concern. In most of these situations, you might need to hold an ice cube in your mouth or apply topical analgesic to help numb the pain.

Yet there are other times when a dental accident or other oral trauma manages to cause a more significant injury to the tongue. This is even more likely to occur if you play or practice athletics without wearing a proper mouthguard.

To help manage these situations with quality first aid and injury assessment, Dr. [doctor_name] offers the following insights.

The first step is to assess the severity of the damage to your tongue. If there are debris or lingering blood in your mouth, you can rinse them away with lukewarm saltwater. You shouldn’t rinse with antiseptic mouthwash as it can easily irritate the tongue injury. If your tongue is bleeding excessively, you shouldn’t swallow the blood as this can upset your stomach.

If your tongue is bleeding, you can wrap it in a few layers of sterile gauze and apply light pressure. If you’re having a hard time holding the gauze in place, you might want to try pressing it to the roof of your mouth.

If after 20 to 30 minutes the bleeding persists or if you feel that the pain is getting worse, you should strongly consider going the emergency room or a nearby urgent care facility for more advanced treatment.

If you are in the [city], [state], area and you need further advice on how to treat a tongue injury, you can always call [phone] to speak to a staff member at [practice_name].

Bad breath from consuming strong foods and drinks can be inconvenient yet easily remedied. In most of these situations, the problem can be resolved by brushing and flossing your teeth. A quick rinse with an antiseptic mouthwash that has been approved by the American Dental Association can then help freshen your breath and reduce the presence of any lingering bacteria.

Chronic bad breath, also known as halitosis, can be of more significant concern. In many of these cases, the malodorous breath is a symptom of other issues. Identifying the underlying cause of your chronic bad breath will help Dr. [doctor_name] develop an effective plan for treatment and remediation.

An inconsistent or inadequate daily oral hygiene routine could be the problem. This would allow the natural bacteria in your mouth to flourish, permeating the rough textures of your tongue and mouth with unappealing odors. Increased consistencies with brushing and flossing can often help. It might also be beneficial to try brushing your tongue after you clean your teeth.

Chronic dry mouth is also a common cause of halitosis. This could be from a myriad of sources, but some of the more common sources include side effects from a new medication, dehydration as well as regular tobacco and alcohol use.

Even occasional tobacco use can cause significant bad breath. The presence of tar and other chemicals in the mouth can permeate oral tissues for a long time afterward.

There are certain medical conditions that could be the underlying cause of chronic bad breath. This might include certain kidney or liver conditions. People with diabetes frequently have bad breath with a slight sweet odor.

If you live in the [city], [state], area and you’re struggling with chronic bad breath, you should call [phone] to arrange for professional diagnosis and treatment from Dr. [doctor_name] at [practice_name].

Most forms of oral trauma carry significant pain and can lead to other complications. When an oral accident or a blow to the face knocks a tooth out of its socket, you will need to provide quality first aid while you seek professional attention at [practice_name].

The first thing to do is assess the severity of the damage. You can do this by gently rinsing your mouth with lukewarm saltwater. This will help wash away any lingering blood and debris to give you a better look at the damaged socket. At the same time, it might also help soothe some of the traumatized soft tissues in your mouth.

If you are experiencing significant pain, you can try gently rubbing oral analgesic on the surrounding gums. Try to avoid direct contact with the socket itself as this could cause further harm to the wounded tissues.

You might want to give the tooth a cursory visual inspection to see if it’s complexly whole. If the tooth was fractured at the gum line, if the tooth was damaged, or if some of the root remains in the socket, Dr. [doctor_name] will not be able to implant it back into your gums.

Sometimes there is enough tooth remaining that Dr. [doctor_name] can restore enough structure to anchor a dental crown by performing a root canal.

If the tooth and socket have been severely traumatized, Dr. [doctor_name] might advocate extracting the remnants of the tooth to promote healing. This will ease the pain and help prepare the gums for a future dental restoration via a dental bridge or dental implant.

If the tooth was knocked out cleanly from the socket and none of it remains in your gums, you will need to keep it alive for there to be any chance of implantation. The tooth can be kept alive by holding it between your cheek and gums. This should preserve it long enough to allow Dr. [doctor_name] to assess its viability and develop a treatment plan.

If you live in the [city], [state], area and you have suffered a knocked-out tooth, you should call [phone] to seek emergency treatment at [practice_name].

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A Tongue Injury Requires Basic Assessment and First Aid