1 Control bleeding
2Monitor wound
1Replant tooth
Control bleeding
38 FIRST AID
Bleeding from the mouth
Damage to a tooth and cuts to the mouth lining, lips, or tongue are common causes of bleeding from the mouth. The aim of first-aid treatment is to control severe bleeding; large amounts of blood, if swallowed, can cause vomiting, while inhalation of blood can cause choking.
TREATING BLEEDING FROM THE MOUTH
1 Control bleeding
• Ask the victim to sit with his head tilted forward. This helps the blood to drain away. Give him a bowl to spit into.
• Press a gauze pad on the wound for up to 10 minutes to stop the bleeding.
2Monitor wound
• If the wound continues to bleed, take a fresh gauze pad and reapply pressure for 10 more minutes.
• Encourage the victim to spit out blood rather than swallow it.
Press a pad on the wound
TREATING A KNOCKED-OUT TOOTH
1Replant tooth
• If an adult tooth is knocked out, replant it in its socket as soon as possible and tell the victim to see a dentist right away.
• If you cannot replant the tooth, keep it in milk or water until the victim reaches a dentist or doctor.
• If a baby tooth is knocked out, do not attempt to replant it.
!
Important
• Do not wash the mouth out, as this may disturb a clot.
• If the wound is large, or if it is still bleeding after 30 minutes of pressure,
consult a dentist or doctor.
Reposition missing adult tooth in its socket
2
Control bleeding
• If the knocked-out tooth cannot be found, place a thick gauze pad across the socket, making sure that the pad stands higher than the teeth on either side of the gap.
• Tell the victim to bite on the pad.