Having bleeding lips, tongue, or cheeks can be daunting and scary. And if children are involved, it’s even more distressing. But the key is to stay calm and handle the dental emergency.
The dental emergency Parkland specialists can handle soft tissue injuries with utmost care and precision. This enables them to prevent further damage and untoward complications.
Introduction to soft tissue injuries
Your tongue, cheeks, gums, and lips are considered the soft tissues in and around your mouth. Each area is sensitive and contains many blood vessels; thus, they bleed easily and profusely whenever they are injured. These injuries are usually cuts, punctures, lacerations, or bruises caused due to multiple reasons.
Since a soft tissue injury can cause profuse bleeding, they are considered a dental emergency and usually cause panic.
Contributing factors that cause soft tissue injuries
Soft tissue injuries are often caused due to the following reasons:
- Biting hard foods accidentally
- Strong blow or impact to the face
- Sports-related activities
- Automobile accidents
- Tooth avulsion (knocked-out tooth)
- Job-related trauma
- sharp/hard/cold/hot food
Symptoms of soft tissue injuries
Clinical manifestations of a soft tissue injury include:
- Visible cuts
- Excessive uncontrollable bleeding
- Severe pain
- Extreme sensitivity to cold and hot
- Swollen tissues around the injury
- Bluish-purple discoloration of the injured area
- Tenderness and soreness around the injured area
First aid steps for soft tissue injuries
If you suffer from a soft tissue injury, here is what you can do to handle the dental emergency:
- Thoroughly rinse the area with salt water, peppermint tea, or an antiseptic mouthwash
- Place a moist tea bag or gauze over the area for 15 to 20 minutes
- Try to control the bleeding and relieve pain by pressing an ice cube for 10 minutes
- If you notice any swelling, use a cold compress, especially on your cheeks
- Visit your dentist right away while keeping pressure on the injured area
Soft tissue injury treatment by a dentist
Treatment for soft tissue injury depends on the nature of your injury. Your dentist will evaluate your symptoms and medical history. The concerned area will be carefully examined to look for any foreign objects, dirt, debris, or other elements that may cause infection and worsen the condition further. You may require stitches to close the wound and prevent more bleeding.
Your dentist will prescribe antibiotics to prevent infections and painkillers to ease pain and discomfort.
Summary
Dental emergencies are serious, including soft tissue injuries. Your oral health outcomes can often depend on whether you understand you have a dental emergency in those first few critical minutes and take appropriate and immediate action until you receive dental care.