Accidentally biting the edge of your lip while chewing gum or eating food rarely causes enough damage to warrant first aid. Unfortunately, there are rare instances when an accident, blow to the face, or sports injury can result in a significant lip injury. For these occurrences, Dr. Rusty M. Albrecht offers a few essential first-aid tips for taking care of an injured lip.
It’s important to get a clear understanding of the significance of your lip injury. If there is any blood on your lip, you can use a warm, wet washcloth to gently wipe it away. If you have blood or debris in your mouth, you can rinse them away with lukewarm saltwater.
If your lip is bleeding excessively, it might require stitches or other professional treatment at the emergency room or an urgent-care clinic.
If your lip starts to swell, you can try holding a cold compress on the area for 15 to 20 minutes at a time. You can improvise a cold compress by placing crushed ice in a zip-top bag wrapped in a washcloth or tea towel.
If your lip continues to bleed, you can try to control the bleeding by holding some sterile gauze to the wound. If the bleeding hasn’t stopped after 20 minutes, the wound likely requires professional treatment.
If you would like more tips on how to be better prepared for common oral injuries in Mentor, Ohio, you can always call Albrecht Family Dentistry at 440-358-0495 to seek further advice from your dentist.