How to Care for Your Child with Minor lip cut
This leaflet will provide you with information about minor lip cut (laceration), treatment and home care advice.
What is a minor lip cut (laceration)?
Cuts can happen on the inside or outside of the lip. Often, they're not deep and can heal on their own.
How is minor lip cut treated?
After examining your child and cleaning the cut, the doctor could see that the cut does not need stitches. As the cut heals, it may leak a small amount of bloody or clear fluid that dries to form a scab. This will eventually fall off. A scab on the inside of the lip may look white. Most small cuts on the inside or outside of the lip will leave a very small scar that will fade over time.
Home care advice
- Offer soft foods that are easy to eat. Avoid hard foods that make crumbs or that stretch the lips when taking large bites.
- Avoid salty and spicy foods.
- If the cut is inside your child's mouth, clean the wound by encouraging your child to rinse his/her mouth after each meal and at bedtime with water.
- If your doctor advises giving medicine for pain, you can give
- Paracetamol (any brand) or Ibuprofen (any brand)
- Follow the instruction on the medicine package for the correct dose for your child
- Do not give your child Aspirin as this can lead to serious complications
- Ensure your child do not pull on the lip to check the cut or pick at scabs that form. This can cause bleeding.
When should I seek medical advice?
Seek medical advice if:
- You cannot control wound bleeding by direct pressure
- There are signs of infection. These include: increasing pain in the wound, increasing wound redness, swelling, pus or a bad odour coming from the wound.
- Your child has a fever of 100.4°F (38.ºC) or higher
- Wound edges reopen