Mouth cuts are common and yet annoying, interfering with the food consumption, beverage drinking and sometimes even with speaking. They can be located in the gums, inside the cheek, or near the throat. Cuts in the mouth are usually a result of an injury from toothpicks, sharp foods, vigorous flossing, etc. Mouth cuts usually heal without any medications or specific treatments. However, there are remedies to promote the healing process.

How to Heal Cut in Mouth

Step 1: Stop the Bleeding

Cuts in mouth tend to cause minor bleeding, so it is essential to stop it. Some procedures of how to stop the bleeding from a mouth cut include:

• Put pressure on the bleeding area.
• Rinse the mouth with water and gargle it for a couple of seconds, focusing on the bleeding area.
• Put an ice cube on the injured area. Wrap the ice with a cloth first. Ice will constrict the blood vessels, stopping the bleeding this way.

Step 2: Reduce Pain

Mouth cuts can be painful, so reducing pain is often necessary. Pain is exacerbated while eating, talking or even opening the mouth. Some tips that can help reduce the pain include:

• Drink plenty of fluids. By keeping yourself hydrated, you will keep your mouth lubricated as well. A dry mouth will just make the pain get worse. 
• Brush and floss the teeth gently. Vigorous teeth brushing can irritate your gums and make the pain get worse.
• Avoid spicy, dry and salty foods which will irritate the mouth and result in painful mouth cuts. This is especially important in how to heal cut in mouth.
• Avoid caffeine and alcohol. They can aggravate the pain. Instead, drink water and add some drops of lemon or lime.
• Suck an ice cube or apply the ice cube wrapped in a cloth onto the injured area. It will help relieve the pain. Do not put the ice directly on the injured area as it can cause ice burn. Also, even when wrapped in a cloth, don’t hold it for a long period of time.
• Avoid smoking and tobacco products.
• Eat soft foods. Recommended soft foods include:

1. Dairy products like milk, milk shakes, yogurt, ice cream or cottage cheese
2. Fruits and vegetables which can be consumed as mashed, baked, well cooked, well ripened, etc.
3. Meat and other meat substitutes like tender meat, chicken, tuna, etc.

Step 3: Promote Healing

• Oral antibiotic ointments are topical antibiotics for a local application. They will reduce the swelling and make the cut heal faster as well.
• Do not open your mouth too widely as it can make the mouth cut even worse, reopening it and prolonging the recovery process. Instead, open the mouth gently.
• Consume fruits and vegetables which are rich in antioxidants and vitamin C. Fruits and vegetables like blueberries, mango or grapes will promote a faster healing.
• Gargle with a saline solution. You can make the saline solution yourself by mixing a teaspoon of salt and warm water. It is well known that salt is a good antiseptic which will help kill the bacteria and promote a faster healing.
• Apply aloe vera gel directly to the cut if you wonder how to heal cut in mouth. It will have a soothing effect.
• Use alcohol-free mouthwashes and rinse the mouth twice a day. These mouthwashes will kill the bacteria which tend to aggravate the mouth cuts.
• Honey is a good natural remedy against mouth cuts. Honey boosts the immune system and weakens the bacteria. 
• Baking soda kills the bacteria and prevents them from multiplying by normalizing the mouth pH levels. Form a thick paste from mixing one teaspoon of baking soda and water. Apply the paste directly onto the cut two or three times a day. You will soon start to notice a pain relief and the cut will close faster.

When to See a Doctor

How to heal cut in mouth? Try the above remedies. However, certain types of mouth cuts require proper medical treatment as they can’t heal on their own. These wounds can easily get complicated. You should seek medical help in cases when:

• The bleeding has not stopped even after 10 minutes of direct pressure on the wound. Mouth wounds tend to bleed heavily even under normal circumstances, so don’t lift the original cloth if it gets soaked with blood; just put a new cloth on top of it.
• The wound is large.
• The wound is caused by an animal bite or human bite.
• You suspect a fracture, bone injury or head injury.
• It is caused by a puncture wound.
• It is caused by a dirty and rusted object.
• The edges are separated.
• The cut gets infected.
• The cut is an inside out wound.
• You don’t have tetanus shot within the past 5 years.
• The root of your tooth is exposed, etc.

How to Prevent a Cut in Mouth

Cuts in the mouth are mostly accidental.

• When playing sports, use face masks, mouth guards, helmets, etc.
• Mouth cuts can result from vigorous tooth brushing. This way you can end up injuring the gums. Make sure to brush your teeth gently.
• Be careful when eating certain types of food such as crusty bread, pizza crusts, etc.