Mouth Laceration
Scenario: Mouth and tongue cuts usually are caused by a blunt hit to the face. Usually,
it's a face-plant during an endo. Some unlucky bikers hit the handlebars, which usually
caused a more severe mouth injury.
Most cuts inside the mouth heal quickly. Most don't need stitches. If the cut is small, stops bleeding, and doesn't gape open, it can usually be treated at home.
Typical cut inside the upper lip, common in youngsters. The cut is caused by the front teeth pinching the tissue against the ground. Always check for injury to the teeth.
Some mouth cuts are contaminated -- dirt from a fall on the road, a chip of tooth, etc. These cuts should be cleaned by the doctor. Large or gaping cuts will get bits of food in them. Stitches might be needed. Cuts that show on the OUTSIDE of the lip should always be checked by the doctor.
A face-plant while learning to ride. Despite the small size, this cut will leave a very noticeable scar if it isn't cared for properly.
See the doctor if:
a cut gapes or changes shape as the lips, tongue, or jaw is moved
the cut continues to bleed
the cut is longer than a half-inch
there is possible contamination or foreign matter in the wound
Immediate care:
Rinse the cut with eye wash solution. Avoid solid food for a few hours.
Ongoing care:
Use a soft diet the first day or two. Avoid foods that can sting (pizza sauce and other
tart or spicy foods). Avoid stretching the mouth for big foods, such as whole apples or
corn on the cob. Expect about 4 to 5 days to heal.
Watch for:
Expect bad breath. See the doctor if there is redness and hardness of the upper lip,
swelling in the area to the side of the nose, fever, or swollen tender glands below the
angle of the jaw. See section on infection.
Frenulum Laceration
Scenario:
Typically, a youngster who's just learning to bike falls forward, with a very minor bump
to the mouth. This cut bleeds like crazy and scares parents to death, but it's no big
deal.
The membrane between the upper gum and upper lip is called the frenulum. This membrane may be torn when the lip is bumped. This is usually not a serious injury. This membrane has no useful purpose, so it's best to let a torn frenulum heal on its own.
Concerns:
A small tear in the frenulum heals well without stitches. If the laceration is under 1/2
inch long, it can usually be ignored. Possible complications include infection, continued
bleeding, or unrecognized injury to the roots of the teeth or the bone of the upper jaw.
See the doctor if:
the laceration is very large
the laceration won't stop bleeding
there is dirt or debris in the wound
the tissue edges don't meet properly when you stop pulling the lip
there are other injuries
See the dentist if:
a tooth is tender, wiggling, cracked, or missing
Immediate care:
Cold pack the area. If bleeding continues, apply gentle pressure immediately below the
nostrils.
Ongoing care:
Use a soft diet for about two days. Avoid tart or spicy foods. Avoid stretching the mouth
for big foods, such as whole apples or
corn on the cob. Expect about 4 to 7 days to heal.
Watch for:
Expect bad breath. See the doctor if there is redness and hardness of the upper lip,
swelling in the area to the side of the nose, fever, or swollen tender glands below the
angle of the jaw. See section on infection.
Scenario:
Usually caused by hitting the chin. The teeth trap the tongue, biting a hole in it.
Description:
Most cuts on the tongue heal quickly, with no special care required. You may, in fact,
hear that doctors never sew tongue cuts. Not true. Big deep cuts of the tongue require
stitches!
Concerns:
A small cut in the tongue heals well without stitches. If the laceration is under 1/2 inch
long and doesn't gape when you move your tongue around, it can usually be ignored. Big or
deep tongue cuts will open up and move around as you use your tongue -- filling up with
taco chips. The result is a permanent cleft in the tongue. The tongue almost never gets
infected, but if it does, it's very serious.
See the doctor if:
the laceration is very large or shifts around when the tongue is moved
the laceration won't stop bleeding
there is dirt or debris in the wound
the jaw can't be moved fully
there are other injuries
See the dentist if:
a tooth is tender, wiggling, cracked, or missing
Immediate care:
Push the part of the tongue that's bleeding against the cheek or the roof of the mouth.
Ongoing care:
Use a soft diet for about two days. Avoid tart or spicy foods. Avoid splintery or sharp
foods such as taco chips. Expect about 4 to 7 days to heal.
Watch for:
Expect bad breath. See the doctor if the tongue swells significantly, or if there's fever,
or swollen tender glands below the angle of the jaw. See
section on infection.
Scenario:
It usually takes a major big-time face-plant to tear the gums. So there will usually be
other injuries along with it. Even if the only evident injury is a cut on the gum,
consider the possibility that something inside (such as a broken tooth or broken jaw) tore
out through the gum.
Description:
A simple cut of the gum usually heals quickly, and can heal without stitches. However,
most cuts of the gum due to mountain-biking are accompanied by serious injury to the teeth
or jaw.
Concerns:
A large cut on the gum may need to be pulled closed with stitches. Any cut on the gum may
indicate a deeper injury to the underlying tooth or the bone surrounding the tooth.
See the doctor if:
the laceration is very large or gaping open
the laceration won't stop bleeding
there is dirt or debris in the wound
the jaw can't be moved fully
there are other injuries
See the dentist if:
a tooth is tender, wiggling, cracked, or missing
Immediate care:
Stop the bleeding. If the bleeding is from the outer gum surface, cup your hand over the
entire mouth area and hold gentle pressure. If it's the inner surface (on the inside of
the teeth), push the tongue against the bleeding area.
Ongoing care:
Use a soft diet for about two days. Avoid tart or spicy foods. Avoid splintery or sharp
foods such as taco chips. Expect about 4 to 7 days to heal.
Watch for:
Expect bad breath. See the dentist if pain increases, teeth become tender, or if there's
fever, or swollen tender glands below the angle of the jaw. See section on infection.
