How Do I Treat a Cut Inside My Daughter's Lip...

Updated on July 19, 2010
V.T. asks from Forest Hills, NY
14 answers

So at my daughter's first week at daycare, she tripped over a toy truck and when she fell, her tooth cut the inside of her bottom lip. It was all purple and swollen, but now is white with puss - HELP! I don't know what to put on it do get the bacteria out. It doesn't seem to be bothering her at all, but I can't imagine that this is okay.

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So What Happened?

First off, thank you so much for all of your answers. I ended up trying the rinsing with salt water routine - I got her to do it while she played in the tub during her bath time. I made it a game for her to drink some of the salt water from her plastic tea cup and swish it in her mouth and spit it out into a little bowl - she thought it was so funny and it helped me get her cut clean. Within 2-3 days the cut was gone.

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M.H.

answers from New York on

Salt water. Take a cup of warm water add 2 tsp of salt rinse 3 times a day. This should help it heel. I do this for my kids when they brush to hard and scratch their gums. I use this myself when I do it or have a sore.

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N.B.

answers from Toledo on

The mouth heals very quickly. Leave it alone for 24 hours and then check it again. The white stuff is her body's reaction to the puncture. If she spikes a fever, call your doctor.

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P.M.

answers from Portland on

If it's just white, and not oozing a thick milky liquid, that's not pus. It's just the normal color of damaged flesh inside the mouth. The mouth of a normal, healthy child has a natural environment of healthy bacteria that out-compete dangerous germs. Mouth wounds tend to be self-cleaning and usually heal faster than exterior wounds. If it's not bothering her, and there's no unusual heat in her lip, she's probably just fine.

If the lip swells up bigger, gets hot, red or painful over the next few days, or if she spikes a fever, have a doc take a look.

I fell on my mouth repeatedly as a kid (must have been pretty clumsy), and have several large lumpy scars inside my lower lip. I don't even remember the injuries, and the scars have never bothered me. Pretty normal kid stuff.

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D.K.

answers from Washington DC on

If she's old enough to follow directions well, then have her rinse with salt water.

Mix about a half a cup of warm to hot water (as warm as she can stand it) with about a tbsp. of salt. Stir to dissolve the salt and then have her swish it around in her mouth, just like rinsing after brushing her teeth except she has to make sure to get it on her boo-boo. It'll sting the first time but after that it'll actually start feeling better.

Salt is natures preservative because of it's powerful antibacterial properties. You may also want to consider having her hold a slice of sharp cheddar on it. I'm not joking. Cheese is naturally antibacterial. We always take it camping in case we can't brush our teeth. Ask your doctor about that first though.

As a last resort, ask your dentist for Clorhexidine Gluconate. This is an antibacterial mouth rinse. My little sister works for a periodontist and maxillofacial surgeon and she says this is what they have patients rinse with before surgery to "sterilize" as best as possible. She always has some with her and uses it preventatively for any cut in the mouth. Rinsing with it will help something like this keep from getting infected and it will help with cold sores too. I had a huge one while visiting my folks, caused by stabbing my gum with my toothbrush on accident, and after two days of applying some of this with a Q-tip, it was gone.

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J.C.

answers from Sacramento on

Call and see the pediatrician asap to see what he/she recommends. She may need to be seen. Good Luck

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R.B.

answers from New York on

My daughter recently had a mouth injury and the doctor had us make a solution of 1/2 peroxide and 1/2 water and use it on a q-tip 3 times a day for a week. It worked great. I bet it isn't pus unless you can see it oozing. Mouths and gums go white when they are healing.

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C.K.

answers from New York on

My mom used to wash these type of wounds by dipping a q-tip in warm salt water. It hurt a lot but within 4-5 days it always healed. She did it 2-3 times a day and each time she wiped off the white pus with the q-tip.

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C.H.

answers from New York on

My daughter is 7 years and she has had many mouth injuries. My other 2 kids have had the scraped knees and elbows, but this won is always biting the inside of her mouth. With the first 2 injuries I took her to the doc and I was told there is nothgin to worry about. The doc told me to just make sure she keeps up with brushing her teeth and drinks water and milk, because they will not irritate the area and are "cleaner" drink choices. What looks like pus, my doctor told me is just a wet scab. Because it is always wet the scab and skin around it have a white appearance. I think the best thing you can do is keep it clean and keep an eye on it. As long as she is eating fine and not complaining, you can leave it alone. Good Luck!

T.F.

answers from Dallas on

I would take my daughter to the pedi. That's just me I guess.....you don't know what you don't know. It's probably nothing but in our family we do not compromise on health and safety.

I am sure it is very sore and the pedi might be able to give something for relief.

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R.M.

answers from New York on

The mouth is an extremely "dirty" part of the body, but oddly enough, wounds in the mouth tend to heal quickly on their own. So, if your daughter's mouth wound is exuding PUS, you really must have her seen by a doctor. A local emergency room/quick care facility would be good if you have one near. They can prescribe an antibiotic which would probably clear up the infection quickly. Without treatment, of this could now turn into a general blood infection which is a bad thing!

P.W.

answers from Dallas on

rinse inside of mouth with salt water. don't swallow, spit it out. Not too much salt or it will really burn. very little. it will still burn a little.

are you sure it is puss and not just healing. if it is puss go to the doctor. I would think that is an infection and she should have antibiotics.

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M.S.

answers from San Francisco on

Mix 1/2 water, 1/2 peroxyle (sp?) It can be found in the local store where toothbrushes, toothpaste etc. are. Make sure she doesn't swallow it but if she does an oral rinse 3x/day it will really speed up the recovery. Oral injuries usually heal pretty quickly though-- I would watch for signs of infection and discomfort but for now, have her rinse with this.

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D.N.

answers from Chicago on

My son fell when he was 4 or 5 and cut his lip. It also turned purple then later was white, but was not infected. If her sore is infected, you do need to get it looked at. If it is just white, you can try the salt water trick mentioned already. For us, that did not work at all. The sore was right behind his tooth (from eating a tostado) and kept opening and bleeding every day. My husband finally used Listerine and it was gone within a few days.

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C.D.

answers from New York on

sounds like it turned in to a sore go to dr or cvs and by over counter aid
oral gel ect

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