Tongue injury: Overview
Tongue injuries are common. You may bite your tongue while playing sports or because of a seizure, a car or bike crash, a fight, a fall, or another injury. Braces or mouth jewelry can also poke or cause sores on your tongue. Sometimes the piece of skin under your tongue may tear.
A cut or tear to the tongue can bleed a lot. Small injuries may often heal on their own. If the injury is long or deep, it may need stitches that dissolve over time.
If a piece of your tongue was cut off or bitten off, it may have been reattached.
How can you care for yourself at home when you have a tongue injury?
- If your doctor prescribed antibiotics, take them as directed. Do not stop taking them just because you feel better. You need to take the full course of antibiotics.
- Eat soft foods that are easy to swallow.
- Be safe with medicines. Read and follow all instructions on the label.
- If the doctor gave you a prescription medicine for pain, take it as prescribed.
- If you are not taking a prescription pain medicine, ask your doctor if you can take an over-the-counter medicine.
- Apply a cold compress to the injured area. Or suck on a piece of ice or a flavored ice pop.
- Rinse your wound with warm salt water right after meals. These rinses may relieve some pain. To make a saltwater solution, mix 1 tsp of salt in 1 cup of warm water.
How to transport a piece of tongue
Follow these steps to transport a piece of severed tongue.
- Wrap the piece of tongue in a clean cloth or sterile gauze, if available.
- Put the wrapped piece of tongue in a bag of ice to keep it cool.
- Do not put the tongue directly on the ice.
- Do not immerse the tongue in ice water.
- Go to the emergency room right away.
Be sure to take the bag with you.
Tongue injury: When to call
Call 911 anytime you think you may need emergency care. For example, call if:
- You have trouble breathing.
Call your doctor now or seek immediate medical care if:
- You have new or worse bleeding.
- You have symptoms of infection, such as:
- Increased pain, swelling, warmth, or redness.
- Red streaks leading from the area.
- Pus draining from the area.
- A fever.
Watch closely for changes in your health, and be sure to contact your doctor if you have any problems.
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