My Baby Bit or Cut Their Tongue
The short answer
Tongue injuries are common in babies and toddlers and often look worse than they are because the tongue has an excellent blood supply. Most tongue lacerations heal well without stitches. Apply gentle pressure with a clean cloth for 15 minutes. Small cuts (less than half an inch) on the tip or surface usually heal quickly on their own. Cuts that are deep, gaping, or on the edge of the tongue may need medical evaluation for possible sutures.
Thousands of parents search for this exact thing. You are not alone.
By Age
What to expect by age
Tongue injuries are rare in very young babies. If your newborn has bleeding from the tongue or mouth, apply gentle pressure and contact your pediatrician. Ensure the bleeding is from an injury and not from another cause such as a blood-tinged cough or nasal drainage.
As babies begin teething, they may accidentally bite their own tongue. This usually causes brief bleeding that stops quickly with gentle pressure. Offer cold teething items to soothe the area. Watch for signs of infection over the next few days: increasing swelling, redness, fever, or foul odor.
Falls while learning to stand or walk with objects in the mouth commonly cause tongue bites. Remove the object, control bleeding with gentle pressure, and assess the injury. If the cut is small and the edges come together on their own, it will likely heal without stitches. Offer cool, soft foods. The tongue heals remarkably quickly.
Toddlers frequently bite their tongues during falls. The bleeding can look dramatic but usually stops within 15 minutes of steady pressure. After the bleeding stops, examine the wound. The mouth heals faster than almost any other area of the body. Offer cold or soft foods and avoid salty, spicy, or acidic foods for a few days.
Tongue injuries from biting during falls, play, or eating are common. Most heal well on their own. Teach your child not to run with objects in their mouth. A tongue injury that creates a flap, involves the edge of the tongue, or is deep enough that you can see fat or muscle tissue needs medical evaluation for possible sutures.
What Should You Do?
When to take action
- Bleeding stops within 15 minutes of applying gentle pressure
- A small surface cut that is less than half an inch and the edges come together naturally
- The area is sore for a day or two but your baby is eating and drinking
- A tongue cut is larger than half an inch or the edges do not come together
- Your baby is avoiding eating or drinking because of tongue pain days after the injury
- The wound looks like it is not healing or appears infected after a few days
- Bleeding from a tongue injury does not stop after 15-20 minutes of consistent firm pressure
- The tongue is partially or completely bitten through, there is a large gaping wound, or the injury involves the base of the tongue near the throat
Sources
Related Resources
Trust your instincts. If something feels wrong, reach out to your pediatrician.
Worrying about your baby means you care. That is a good thing.
Related Medical Concerns
My Baby Has a Split or Cut Lip
Split lips from falls are very common in babies and toddlers. The lip area bleeds heavily because of its rich blood supply, so injuries often look worse than they are. Apply firm pressure with a clean cloth for 15 minutes. Small cuts that do not cross the border between the lip skin and facial skin (the vermilion border) usually heal well on their own. Cuts that cross this border, are deep, gaping, or very long may need stitches for the best cosmetic result.
My Baby's Tooth Was Knocked Out or Loosened by a Fall
If a baby tooth is knocked out, do NOT try to replant it (unlike permanent teeth). Apply gentle pressure with gauze to stop bleeding. If a tooth is loosened or displaced, see a dentist within 24 hours. If a tooth is pushed up into the gum (intruded), see a dentist promptly as this can affect the permanent tooth developing underneath. Save any tooth fragments for the dentist to examine.
Baby Has a Cut or Bleeding Wound
Minor cuts and scrapes are a normal part of childhood. For most small cuts: apply gentle pressure with a clean cloth for 5-10 minutes to stop the bleeding, clean the wound with lukewarm water, apply antibiotic ointment, and cover with a bandage. Most minor cuts heal well without stitches. A cut may need stitches (or skin glue) if it is deeper than 1/4 inch, will not stop bleeding after 10 minutes of pressure, is gaping open, is on the face, or was caused by a dirty or rusty object. If stitches are needed, they work best when placed within 6-8 hours of the injury.
My Baby's Head Shape Looks Abnormal
Many babies develop temporary head shape irregularities that are completely normal. A cone-shaped head from vaginal delivery reshapes within days. Mild positional flattening (plagiocephaly) from sleeping on the back is very common and usually improves with repositioning and tummy time. However, head shape changes involving ridges, a persistently bulging fontanelle, or rapid head growth changes should be evaluated to rule out craniosynostosis.
Achondroplasia (Dwarfism) in Babies
Achondroplasia is the most common form of short-limbed dwarfism, affecting about 1 in 15,000 to 40,000 births. It is caused by a mutation in the FGFR3 gene and is usually apparent at birth with characteristic features including short limbs, a larger head, and a prominent forehead. Intelligence is normal. With monitoring for specific complications and supportive care, children with achondroplasia lead full, active, and independent lives.
Adenoid Hypertrophy and Breathing
Adenoids are lymphoid tissue located behind the nose that help fight infection in young children. When adenoids become enlarged (adenoid hypertrophy), they can block the nasal airway, causing chronic mouth breathing, snoring, nasal speech, and sleep-disordered breathing. Enlarged adenoids are most common between ages 2-7 and are a leading cause of obstructive sleep apnea in young children. Treatment ranges from watchful waiting and nasal steroids to surgical removal (adenoidectomy) if breathing or sleep is significantly affected.