Suturing Intraoral Cuts in Kitchener

The mouth bleeds a lot. A small nick on the inside of the lip can soak a paper towel and look far worse than it is, while a deeper cut on the tongue or gum may need stitches to close properly. At Fairway Dental in Kitchener we treat cuts and lacerations inside the mouth, check the teeth nearby for damage, and close the wound with sutures when that’s the right call. Here’s how to handle a mouth injury in the first few minutes, and what to expect if you come in.

How cuts inside the mouth usually happen

Most of the injuries we see are accidents that happen in ordinary moments. A child trips while carrying a cup. Someone takes an elbow in a pickup hockey game. A dog jumps up and catches a lip. Other common causes include:

  • Biting down hard on the tongue or cheek, especially during a fall
  • Sharp edges from a freshly broken tooth or filling
  • A fork, toothbrush or pencil that slips while in the mouth
  • Braces wires or a broken denture rubbing the same spot
  • Sports injuries when a mouthguard wasn’t being worn

Because the cause is often a blow to the face, the teeth deserve a look too. A cut lip and a loosened front tooth frequently show up together.

First aid for a cut in the mouth

Stay calm, and if it’s your child, keep your voice level. Kids take their cue from the adult in the room. Then work through these steps:

  1. Rinse gently with cool water so you can see where the blood is coming from.
  2. Fold a clean gauze pad or cloth and press it firmly on the cut. For the inside of the lip or cheek you can pinch the area between your fingers, one inside and one outside.
  3. Hold steady pressure for a full 10 to 15 minutes without lifting to check. Peeking restarts the bleeding.
  4. Put a cold pack or a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a towel on the outside of the face to slow swelling.
  5. For a tongue cut, sucking on an ice cube or ice pop can help after the bleeding slows.

Avoid hot drinks, alcohol and anything spicy or acidic for the rest of the day. They sting and can restart the bleeding.

Signs you need to go to the hospital

Head to an emergency department or call 911 if:

  • The bleeding hasn’t slowed after 20 minutes of firm, continuous pressure
  • Swelling in the mouth, tongue or throat is making it hard to breathe or swallow
  • The injury came with a hit to the head and there’s dizziness, confusion, vomiting or a blackout
  • The jaw looks crooked or the teeth suddenly don’t meet the way they used to
  • The cut goes all the way through the lip or cheek

Does a cut in the mouth need stitches?

Plenty of small cuts inside the mouth heal well on their own. The lining of the mouth repairs itself faster than skin, often within a week or two. Stitches, also called sutures, become worth it when the edges of the wound gape open, when the cut is deep or long, or when it keeps bleeding off and on.

Cuts that often benefit from sutures

  • Lacerations longer than about a centimetre or two that gape when you open your mouth
  • Deep cuts on the tongue, especially near the edge or tip
  • Torn gum tissue that has pulled away from the teeth
  • Cuts that cross the border of the lip, where a neat line matters for how it heals and looks
  • Wounds with a flap of tissue hanging loose

Timing matters. Wounds are best closed within the first several hours, before swelling sets in and before bacteria have a chance to settle. If you aren’t sure, call us and describe the cut. We may ask you to send a photo or simply come in.

What happens at your visit

First we stop any remaining bleeding and look closely at the wound. We want to know how deep it goes, whether anything is stuck in it (bits of tooth, gravel or wood are all possible), and whether nearby teeth are chipped, loose or pushed out of position. An X-ray may be taken if a tooth could be broken or a fragment could be buried in the lip.

Next the area is numbed with local anaesthetic so you don’t feel the cleaning or the stitches. The wound is rinsed out carefully. Any small pieces of debris are removed, because leaving them in is a common cause of infection and lumpy scarring.

Then the dentist closes the cut. Inside the mouth we usually use dissolving sutures, so there’s nothing to remove later. They soften and fall out on their own over roughly one to two weeks. Cuts that involve the outside skin of the lip may need different handling, and the dentist will tell you if a referral makes more sense for the best cosmetic result.

Before you leave, we’ll go over aftercare, and if any teeth were injured we’ll talk about what they need now and what to watch for later.

Healing and aftercare

The first two days

Expect some swelling and tenderness. It usually peaks on the second day. Keep using cold packs on the outside for the first day, eat soft, lukewarm foods and chew on the other side if you can. Stick to pain relievers you normally take safely, following the label.

Keeping the area clean

Starting the day after treatment, rinse gently with warm salt water after meals. Keep brushing your other teeth, but go lightly near the stitches. Don’t poke at them with your tongue or fingers, even though it’s tempting.

What normal healing looks like

A wound inside the mouth often turns white or yellowish for several days. That’s a normal healing layer, not pus. The colour fades as new tissue forms underneath.

Call us if you notice

  • Swelling that gets bigger after the third day
  • Fever, or pus with a bad smell or taste
  • Bleeding that starts up again and won’t stop with pressure
  • Stitches coming out in the first day or two with the wound opening up

FAQ

Do stitches in the mouth hurt?

The numbing takes care of the procedure itself. You’ll feel a pinch with the injection and some pressure after that. Once the anaesthetic wears off, the area is sore for a few days, much like the injury was.

My child bit through their tongue. Is that serious?

Tongue bites bleed heavily and look alarming, but many heal well with pressure and time. A deep bite that gapes open, involves the tip, or won’t stop bleeding should be seen so we can decide whether it needs closing.

Will it scar?

Scars inside the mouth are usually hard to notice. A cut across the edge of the lip is the one most likely to leave a visible line, which is why careful closure there matters.

If you or your child has a cut inside the mouth and you’re not sure whether it needs stitches, call Fairway Dental in Kitchener at 519-893-9494. We’ll ask a few questions, tell you how soon to come in, and take care of the wound and any teeth that were hurt.

Related treatments

Questions or ready to book? Contact our Kitchener office or call 519-893-9494.

Treating a cut inside the mouth at Fairway Dental in Kitchener