What to do if a child has a lip injury

One can only envy the activity and curiosity of young children. While learning about the world around them, children often injure their knees, palms, and fingers. But most often the face suffers: a child, falling to the ground, due to insufficiently developed coordination, does not always have time to put his hands in front of him, which should hold his body at that moment. So it turns out that as a result of a fall, even the most harmless one, the baby’s nose, forehead or lip suffers. As a rule, these injuries are not terrible, but you need to be able to treat them and reduce pain. Therefore, let's try to understand the question, if a child breaks his lip from the inside and it is swollen - what to do in such cases?

What to do if your child has a broken lip

If your child falls or hits an object and breaks his lip, then you need to act according to the following plan:

First of all , parents must calm down themselves, because they need to act clearly and confidently. Then calm the child down, explain that you will help him now,
Before touching your sore lip , be sure to wash your hands with antibacterial soap. Then wash your baby’s hands, because most likely he will touch the wound, which can cause infection. If you are outside, use antiseptic spray or wipes. Such things should always be with you on a walk,
Rinse the damaged area with warm boiled water. Try to visually assess how deep the wound is. If it seems deep, then seek medical help, if not, continue treatment at home,
Now you need to disinfect the damaged area to protect it from the penetration of pathogenic microbes. To do this, use a weak solution of potassium permanganate or hydrogen peroxide (3%). Moisten a cotton wool or disk with antiseptic liquid and apply to the lip,
If a child has broken the inside of his lip , then it can be treated with a solution of Miramistin or Chlorhexidine. These antiseptics are effective against bacteria and viruses. It is enough to apply a cotton wool soaked in liquid to the wound. If the child is already old enough, then suggest that he rinse his mouth with a solution,
Swelling appears at the site of injury ; to reduce it, apply a cold compress. To do this, take a piece of ice from the freezer, wrap it with gauze and a clean cotton napkin. You can also use a chilled spoon.

After this, carefully examine the wound again; if it is deep, then go to the doctor. You may need to get stitches to prevent a scar from remaining on your lip.

We provide first aid

You need to understand that under the thin skin located on the lips there are a large number of capillaries, which, even with a slight blow, can begin to bleed heavily. A toddler can break a sponge at any time, in any place, he can trip, he can hit the door, he can fight, another child can throw a toy at him and hit him on the lip. Therefore, it is so important to know how to behave in such situations, how to provide first aid to a child.

First of all, you need to calm down. The situation when the baby cries, either from fear or from pain, becomes even more complicated if the parents give in to panic. You must reassure the child and show that you yourself remain calm.
First of all, thoroughly wash your hands and your baby's. The fact is that a toddler can reach for a sponge, wondering what is happening there, and spread an infection with a dirty finger. If you are not at home and there is no way to wash your hands, then you can use an antiseptic or wet wipes; it is advisable to stock up on these products in advance.
You need to treat the wound with peroxide. In this situation, it is better to avoid iodine and brilliant green. The fact is that the child will feel a strong burning sensation, and besides, you can cause a burn to such a delicate mucous surface. You also need to take into account the fact that iodine can provoke increased blood flow.

Not everyone knows, but honey can be used as an antiseptic. It will be able to destroy possible germs, and the child will be much more pleased if the sponge is smeared with a sweet product rather than a burning medicine. For this purpose, you can also use sea buckthorn oil or ointment with propolis. In this situation, it is better to apply the product before bedtime so that the child does not lick his lips.

If the sponge breaks from the inside, then Miramistin can be used. For this purpose, it is necessary to moisten a cotton swab or disk with this solution, gently wipe, or better yet, blot the wound. An adult child is able to rinse the mouth with this solution. A chamomile decoction can also be used to slow down bleeding, disinfect the oral cavity and begin the healing process.
It is possible that the sponge is swollen. If this is indeed the case, then the swelling can be relieved by applying cold to the area. For example, you can use a cold spoon, which must first be kept in the freezer for a couple of minutes. This will also help slow down bleeding.
After the wound is washed, it is necessary to examine it. If the baby has severely broken his lip and the wound is deep, then it is better to immediately go to see a traumatologist. It is possible that stitches will be necessary. The main thing is to continue to remain calm so that the baby does not get nervous.

Not Recommended Actions

What not to do if a child has a cut lip:

Use alcohol solutions. Some parents, even knowing the rules of first aid after a cut lip, use alcohol solutions to speed up wound healing. However, they do not know what the consequences may be after such actions. If you still make this mistake, then urgently treat the damaged area with anti-burn products,
or its derivatives (Betadine) or brilliant green to treat the wound Many parents are not familiar with the rules of first aid after a cut lip, so they use medications that can harm the child. For example, iodine or its derivatives (Betadine) or brilliant green are often used to disinfect a wound. These solutions, even in minimal concentrations, can damage the delicate skin of the lips and cause chemical burns. In addition, after treating the lips with brilliant green or iodine, a scar may remain on the damaged area,
Apply ice without a protective coating. Other moms and dads apply ice without a protective coating, which can cause additional tissue damage or hypothermia. The ice must be wrapped in a cloth and kept for no longer than 15 minutes,
Touch the wound with unwashed hands. Many parents panic so much at the sight of a child with blood on his lips that they completely forget to wash their hands before treating the wound. Then the risk of infection in the damaged area increases, especially if the wound is located on the inner surface of the lip.

Precautionary measures

If your child roller skates, take care of protective equipment

Unfortunately, a situation where a baby falls and breaks his lip is not uncommon. When a child begins to walk or run, he is exposed to this risk. In fact, no one is immune from this. However, parents can reduce this risk to a minimum.

When going for a walk, explain to your little one how to behave on the playground. Tell them that you need to be careful when walking near the swing.
Make sure that your child has comfortable shoes, the fasteners are fixed, and there is no slippery surface of the sole.
Make sure that there are no parts on your baby’s clothes that could catch something.
If your child skateboards or rollerblades, make sure he or she has protective equipment.
When going for a walk with your child, be sure to keep an eye on him.
Even if you live on the ground floor, do not leave your baby alone with the windows open.
If you are traveling with a child by car, make sure you have a child seat.
Make sure that there are no sharp objects in the toddler’s field of vision.

Parents should ensure that they always have a first aid kit on hand. After all, no one is 100% immune from injury.

Now you know what to do if your baby cuts his lip. Remember that you need to remain calm and not panic, this can alarm the little one even more. Do not forget that in some situations you cannot do without visiting a doctor.

How to treat and treat a broken lip

You need to care for and treat the wound until it is completely healed. For this purpose, medications are used in the form of ointments, creams, gels and antiseptic solutions. Before applying the medicinal ointment, the wound must be treated with an antiseptic. To do this, you can use the following disinfectant solutions:

Furacilina. For 3 to 5 days after injury, wash the wound with furatsilin solution,
Miramistin and Chlorhexidine. These solutions have high antiseptic characteristics. They can also pre-treat your hands so as not to introduce infection into the child’s wound.

Almost always, the next day after a bruised lip, the child develops swelling and hematoma in the damaged area. To eliminate swelling and cure a broken lip, you need to use safe drugs based on natural ingredients:

Zinc ointment is a mixture of substance oxide and petroleum jelly. This drug has a pronounced protective and softening effect. It helps relieve inflammation and speeds up healing,
Bepanten based on dexpanthenol is used for wounds that contain a high risk of infection. The cream accelerates regeneration,
The healer is a balm based on tea tree oil, sea buckthorn, olive oil and other natural ingredients. This is an affordable and highly effective wound healing agent,
Boro Plus is a medicinal ointment that has a pronounced antiseptic effect. It has a wide spectrum of action and is used for wound healing. It contains only natural antibacterial ingredients,

La-Cri cream has a pronounced anti-inflammatory effect and heals wounds. This remedy helps eliminate itching and irritation,
Solcoseryl ointment is indicated from the moment fresh granulations appear until the wound dries. This product helps to quickly restore the outer layer of skin and mucous membranes,
Badyaga gel heals wounds and treats inflammation. It accelerates the resorption of hematomas and helps remove scars.

To speed up regeneration, apply ointments several times a day and make sure that the child does not tear off the crust that appears during the healing process.

The use of folk remedies

You can supplement home treatment for a cut lip in a child with effective folk remedies that will destroy pathogenic microorganisms in the damaged area and accelerate tissue regeneration. If a child has a broken lip from the inside or outside, then the injury can be treated with safe and effective folk remedies:

First of all, after cutting your lip, wash it with chamomile decoction. For this purpose, you can use an infusion of other medicinal herbs (sage, oak bark, etc.). If the wound is on the inner surface, then apply a cotton swab dipped in liquid to it.
The wounded area can be smeared with honey , but provided that the child is not allergic to it. Honey has antiseptic properties and will speed up healing. You can also use propolis; to do this, you need to thoroughly grind it and melt it in a water bath. Then the liquid is mixed with honey and the wound surface is treated. It is best to lubricate your lip before going to bed; overnight the product will have time to be completely absorbed into the skin.
speed up tissue regeneration . However, this remedy can be used if the wound is not very deep.

These medications can be used to complement drug treatment.

However, consult your doctor before using them. Before a walk, lips should be lubricated with hygienic lipstick or emollient cream. This is necessary so that the healing wound does not cause discomfort.

The child tore the frenulum on the upper lip

The mouth has 2 frenulums that connect the upper and lower lips to the oral cavity. If a child falls and breaks this jumper, then he needs help:

The mouth is washed with cooled boiled water,
Then the affected area is treated with hydrogen peroxide,
After this, the wound is treated with antiseptics: Furacilin solution, Chlorophyllipt oil, Miramistin spray,
A cold compress is applied to the affected area to help relieve pain and stop bleeding.

After this, you need to urgently show the child to the doctor. This is a serious injury that requires qualified medical care.

Otherwise, the risk of infection increases. If the frenulum does not heal properly, speech defects, facial deformities, and problems with chewing may appear. To avoid complications, you need to put self-absorbing sutures on it.

The operation is performed under local anesthesia for 30 minutes. After it, swelling appears, which with proper care will disappear after 2 days. Tissue regeneration in this area usually occurs quite quickly. You need to take care of sutures after surgery using antimicrobial agents. In addition, it is necessary to rinse your mouth with antiseptic solutions after each meal.

When to see a doctor

As mentioned, if the wound is shallow, then it can be treated at home. But at the same time, parents should carefully monitor the child’s condition in order to seek medical help if necessary.

You should immediately visit a doctor after a cut lip in the following cases:

The wound is too deep or the inner surface of the lip is damaged,
Not only the lip is damaged, but also the gum, tooth or frenulum. In such cases, you need to contact a dentist who will assess the consequences of the injury and prescribe the necessary treatment,
The body temperature increased to 37.5°C or more within 2 days after the lip cut. Heat indicates infection of the damaged area,
Blood continues to flow from the wound for half an hour,
There is a suspicion that there is a foreign body in the wound,
The damaged lip is numb,
The swelling and redness does not go away for a long time.

If such symptoms appear, immediately go to the doctor, as your child’s health is at risk!

The child hit his head

They are open and closed. With open wounds, the soft tissue and bones of the skull are damaged, which can lead to inflammation in the membranes and substance of the brain. In this situation, it is necessary to immediately call an ambulance and hospitalize the child. With closed injuries, soft tissues and bones remain intact (minor abrasions and scratches do not count), but swelling appears. You can relieve swelling by applying an ice pack or a towel soaked in cold water to the injury site for 5-10 minutes.

Alarming symptoms of a head injury that should alert parents are drowsiness, lack of appetite, nausea, and headache. As a rule, these are signs of neurological problems that have arisen, indicating a concussion or hemorrhage. Therefore, even with a minor injury, it is advisable to show the baby to a specialist within 24–48 hours after the fall and undergo a full examination, including ultrasound, MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), CT (computed tomography), which will allow us to determine the extent of the damage and develop adequate treatment tactics.