What is the treatment for biting the roof of the mouth?

Treatment for Biting the Roof of the Mouth

For treatment of injuries to the roof of the mouth from biting, thoroughly irrigate the wound with warm saline solution and consider using an anti-inflammatory oral rinse containing benzydamine hydrochloride every 3 hours, particularly before eating, to manage pain and promote healing. 1

Initial Management

• Clean the wound thoroughly with warm saline mouthwashes to reduce bacterial colonization and remove any debris 1
• Apply an antiseptic oral rinse twice daily, such as 0.2% chlorhexidine digluconate mouthwash or 1.5% hydrogen peroxide mouthwash, to prevent infection 1
• For pain management, use benzydamine hydrochloride oral rinse or spray every 3 hours, especially before meals 1
• If pain control is inadequate, topical anesthetic preparations such as viscous lidocaine 2% can be used 1

Wound Care

• Superficial wounds should be thoroughly irrigated with a large volume of warm or room temperature potable water until there is no foreign matter in the wound 2
• Covering the wound with an antibiotic ointment or cream and a clean occlusive dressing can help wounds heal better with less infection 2
• For more severe injuries, protect ulcerated mucosal surfaces with a mucoprotectant mouthwash three times a day 1
• Apply white soft paraffin ointment to the lips if they are also affected 1

Special Considerations

• Monitor for signs of infection, which may include increased pain, swelling, redness, or pus formation 2
• If infection is suspected, especially in deeper wounds, antimicrobial therapy may be necessary 2
• For candidal infection that may develop secondary to the injury, treatment with nystatin oral suspension or miconazole oral gel is recommended 1
• Human bite wounds, including self-inflicted ones to the mouth, can introduce oral bacteria and potentially lead to infection 3, 4

Pain Management

• For mild to moderate pain, use topical anti-inflammatory preparations as mentioned above 1
• For more severe pain, systemic analgesics following the WHO pain management ladder may be provided 1
• Elevation of the injured area, if possible, can help reduce swelling and accelerate healing 2

When to Seek Additional Medical Care

• If the wound is deep, shows signs of infection, or doesn't improve within 24-48 hours 2
• If there is severe pain disproportionate to the visible injury 2
• If there are symptoms of systemic infection such as fever 4
• If the wound is large (>10mm) or involves exposed tissue beyond the mucosa 5

Prevention of Future Injuries

• Be mindful while eating, especially with hard or crunchy foods
• Consider using a soft diet temporarily while the injury heals
• If injury occurred due to dental issues (misaligned teeth, etc.), consider dental consultation