Treating a Tongue Injury From Sports
The thrill of competition from sports is invigorating. From the off-season training and early morning practices to individuals coming together to achieve a greater goal. There’s nothing quite like being a part of a team. With the competition comes the occasional sprain, twist, bruise, or cut. And sometimes, you could endure a tongue injury. While they’re not uncommon, it’s an opponent you never expect to face.
Check out this great tongue injury game plan.
Tongue Facts and Functions
Before talking about tongue injuries, it’s good to know all the Xs and Os on your tongue. Did you know that your tongue has:
- 8 muscles
- 3,000-10,000 taste buds
- Both good and bad bacteria
- The ability to help you say up to 90 words per minute
It’s true. Your tongue is one strong muscle – vital for eating and speaking. The tip of your tongue, or the apex, is kind of like the index finger as it is the point of contact with the rest of your mouth. In comparison, the frenulum is where your tongue and floor of your mouth meet, as well as your lips and gums.
How Injuries Occur
There’s the potential for contact with many sports, from football and basketball to soccer and hockey, that can lead to a tongue injury. Usually, that’s due to unintentional biting of the tongue. Some bites can cause a sting, while some can be more serious with greater pain and bleeding. If you’ve experienced a typical mouth cut or wound with bleeding, here’s what to do:
- First thing, focus on the bleeding as your tongue has high blood flow
- Apply pressure to the wound with medical gauze or some other sterile cloth for 15-20 minutes
- Apply a cold compress to the injured area, or suck on a piece of ice or popsicle
- After the bleeding has slowed down or stopped, use a warm salt water to rinse, especially after eating
If treated quickly, there’s a good chance you can return to the field, court or rink.
If the Injury is More Urgent
If the injury is more significant, such as with a laceration, you should immediately seek medical attention. A large gash or laceration could require:
- Stitches
- Antibiotics for infection
- Prescribed pain relief medication
After addressing the bleeding and actual wound, your overall oral health and how your injury could affect it should be considered. As stated earlier, there’s a lot of bacteria in your mouth on your tongue. Plus, eating, swallowing, and speaking could be impacted. Make sure you and your doctor discuss all of these before you’re discharged.
Injury Prevention
Football has helmets to protect heads. Soccer has shinguards for protecting legs. To help protect tongue injuries, mouthguards are the answer. Nearly all contact sports recommend wearing mouthguards for protecting your jaw, tongue, teeth and mouth.
The American Dental Association has found that mouthguards help reduce sports-related dental injuries. It’s a simple solution that can be conveniently worn across multiple sports. Wearing a mouthguard during competition and practice should eliminate nearly all risk of a tongue injury.
