Even if you wear a protective mouth guard during sports, some of the soft tissues on your mouth and face could still be at risk of trauma from an accidental fall or blow to the head. If your lip, cheek, or other soft oral tissues have been harmed, you might need to apply some basic first-aid while seeking emergency care at Ortman Family Dentistry’s clinic.

If you have blood on your face, lips, or cheek, it can be gently wiped away with a wet washcloth. This might also help you to get a better view of the wound.

Any swelling concerns in the surrounding soft tissues, might be lessened by lightly applying a cold compress to the area for up to 20 minutes at a time. If you don’t have a quality cold compress on hand, you can improvise with a bag of frozen vegetables or a plastic bag with crushed ice, wrapped in a tea towel.

If your lip is bleeding or lacerated you might be able to minimize the blood loss by gently applying a sterile gauze pad and moderate pressure If the wound continues to bleed for more than half an hour, you should strongly consider going to the Emergency Room.

If you are in the Lafayette, Indiana, area and you need help dealing with an oral injury, you can always call 765-447-0322 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Greg Ortman and the staff at Ortman Family Dentistry’s clinic.