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We’ve all had a time or two when we’ve accidentally bitten our own lip. While there might be a quick shock of pain it rarely causes any significant injury. However, there are times when something like a blow to the face or sports accident could significantly injure your lip. In some extreme situations, some individuals have an accident that imparts enough force to cause them to bite through their lip.

Whether you’ve bitten your own lip, or a blow to the face has injured your lip, there are a few basic first aid considerations that Dr. Brandon Schvaneveldt recommends. A severe lip injury might also warrant a trip to the emergency room.

It’s important to get a clear understanding of how significant your lip injury is. 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 it away with lukewarm salt water.

If your lip starts to swell you can try holding a cold compress on the area for 15 to 20 minutes at a time. A cold compress can be made quickly, by placing crushed ice in a zip-top bag wrapped in a washcloth or hand towel.

If your injured 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, it usually means the wound will require further treatment and warrants a trip to the emergency room or an urgent care facility.

If you have an injured lip you can call Dr. Brandon Schvaneveldt at 435-752-1434 for advice or to schedule an appointment.