Chewing plays a very important role in oral health. In addition to having the objective of reducing the food to a semi-liquid pulp to facilitate digestion, chewing correctly and for a long time massages the gums and helps to obtain a better cleaning of the oral cavity, favoring the removal of residues from the teeth.
The chewing process involves voluntary and involuntary movements and the tongue plays an important role in helping to swallow foods.
All the causes of this disorder
When you eat and at the same time are distracted by watching TV, talking or looking at your cell phone, the neurons connected to the brain that coordinate the activity of the tongue and all the other muscles involved in chewing are no longer consciously controlled, but begin to work on their own. Here chewing distractedly becomes the main cause of involuntary tongue bites.
Those who suffer from a jaw joint disorder or a bad alignment of the teeth run a higher risk of biting their tongue, which is why it is advisable to seek advice from your trusted dentist to have a correct diagnosis and intervene promptly. Otherwise, continuing to bite your tongue frequently can cause chronic lesions.
If in the case of a tongue bite, healing times can vary from 2-3 days for a mild bite up to a week for larger and deeper wounds.
Useful solutions for fast healing
To promote the rapid recovery of this very important muscle it is useful to: clean the bite well by rinsing the inside of the mouth thoroughly with a solution of warm, salted water, so as to free the wound from food debris and relieve the pain. Until the bite has completely healed, it is advisable to rinse your mouth in this way after each meal.
The tongue wound will tend to swell so it will be even easier to bite the same area again, worsening the situation and delaying healing. The best solution to avoid swelling is to intermittently apply an ice cube to the wound for a few minutes.
If your tongue bite wound starts bleeding and doesn’t stop, you should contact medical help as soon as possible.
Throughout the period necessary to heal and repair the damaged tissue it is important to treat the injured area with care, making sure during meals to chew on the other side of the mouth from the bite and avoid very hot, acidic, salty and spicy foods.
When to contact the dentist?
It is appropriate to contact your trusted dentist in the following cases:
- the pain is continuous and does not disappear within 24 hours;
- there is a strange smell coming from the wound indicating that it is becoming infected;
- fever sets in;
- the wound shows no signs of healing 48 hours after the bite.