Lacerations of the Mouth

Presentation

Because of the rich vascularity of the soft tissues of the mouth, impact injuries often lead to dramatic hemorrhages that bring patients with relatively trivial lacerations to the emergency department (ED) and other health care facilities. Blunt trauma to the face can cause secondary lacerations of the lips, frenulum, buccal mucosa, gingiva, and tongue. Active bleeding has often stopped by the time a patient with a minor laceration has reached the clinic or ED.