Snacking on crunchy stuff, sucking on hard candies, aggressive brushing of the teeth, figuring in a sports accident — all of these things can leave a cut on your gums. If the cut is a gaping one and doesn’t seem to want to stop bleeding, it’s important to seek the help of a dentist or head to the ER department of the nearest hospital as it may require stitching for it to heal properly. Otherwise, the affected gum area will simply nurse itself back to health.
Even though a small cut on the gums is capable of healing on its own, this doesn’t mean that there will be no discomfort along the way. In fact, it is very much possible for the cut to end up as a canker sore.
There are certain things that you may do at home in order to have the healing process begun, provided that that the cut on your gums apparently does not need stitching. These home remedies not only help promote healing, but also keep the problem from becoming infected, which can bring further problems and even more discomfort.
So what should you do the moment that you accidentally cut your gums? Continue reading.
Rinse Your Mouth
The very first step that you should take as soon as you incurred the cut is to grab a glass of water and rinse your mouth with it. Pay special attention to the area where the cut is located. Rinsing your mouth with water helps remove food particles if the accident is due to eating something crunchy or sharp, as well as flush out the blood.
Suck on Some Ice Chips
In order to put the bleeding to an end, it’s a good idea for you to suck on some ice chips. That’s because the cold will cause the damaged blood vessels in the area of the cut to constrict, resulting in the cessation of the bleeding. As a bonus, sucking on some ice chips will also help ease the throbbing pain that accompanies a cut in the gums.
Gargle with Cold Water
Provided that you don’t have sensitive teeth, you may also simply swish some cold water in your mouth to put the bleeding to an end. Just make sure that you let the cold water come into contact with the cut on your gums for several seconds each time before spitting it out to help put the bleeding to an immediate stop.
Regularly Disinfect Your Mouth
It’s a good idea to disinfect your mouth on a regular basis as the cut on your gums is healing in order to keep at bay an infection, something that will surely delay your recovery. Opting for saline solution (1 tablespoon of rock salt dissolved in a glass of lukewarm water) or non-alcohol mouthwash is the best way to have the cut disinfected.
Avoid Aggressive Brushing
Just because you have a cut on your gums doesn’t mean that you should skip brushing your teeth. Brush as gently as you can, keeping the bristles from coming into contact with the gum area where the injury is. Definitely, it’s a smart move for you to brush your teeth with something that features soft bristles to avoid any accident.
Steer Clear of Spicy Foods
While the cut is still healing, try your best to steer clear of anything that’s spicy because it will only leave you in a great deal of pain. Acidic fruits should also be avoided if you don’t want to experience any discomfort while you are at the dining table. Similarly, you should avoid consuming beverages that are too hot.
Consume Vitamin C-Rich Fruits
Loading up on vitamin C helps promote a speedier healing of the gums, and that’s why you should consume foods that are rich in it. Since acidic foods like oranges and other citrus fruits are a no-no for the moment, focus on other superb sources of vitamin C such as papayas, guavas, cucumbers, broccoli, kale and Brussels sprouts.
