Busted Lip? Here’s What To Do

Your preschooler face-planted on the playground and split their lip. It’s a common kid injury. But between the wailing (theirs), the blood (also theirs) and the tears (possibly both of yours), it’s … a lot.

What’s your next move? Pediatrician Laura O’Connor, MD, explains how to heal a split lip.

What is a busted lip?

“Busted lip” isn’t a medical diagnosis — it’s an everyday term people use to describe an injury to the lip that causes torn skin, bleeding, swelling or bruising.

Types of lip injuries

There are lots of different types of lip injuries that fall under the “busted lip” umbrella. You may hear a healthcare provider describe your child’s busted lip as a:

• Lip laceration: This is a medical term for a cut or tear in the lip.
• Lip contusion: The skin may not be broken, but the bruising, swelling and pain of a “bumped lip” is no joke.
• Lip abrasion: This is the term healthcare providers use to describe scrapes.
• Lip puncture wound: These small, deep wounds are often caused by sharp objects — like a toddler tooth that finds itself in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Steps for caring for a busted lip

Injuries to the mouth can often look worse than they are.

“This area has a lot of blood vessels, so even a small cut can look like a lot of blood,” Dr. O’Connor explains.

But there’s a silver lining to that scary-looking cloud. Because there are so many blood vessels in your lips, cuts around the mouth also tend to heal quickly.

Follow these pediatrician-approved steps to kick-start the healing process.

Clean it

Flush the cut lip with clean, cold water to wash it out. And keep in mind: If your toddler launched themselves down the slide headfirst, there’s a good chance they landed in something messy.

“Take a look to see if there’s any sand or dirt left in the wound and be sure you remove it,” Dr. O’Connor advises.

Apply pressure

Use gauze or a clean cloth to hold pressure against your child’s split lip. Most cuts to the mouth stop bleeding within five to 10 minutes if you use firm, consistent pressure. (We’ll cover exceptions to the rule in a bit.)

Numb it

Use an ice pack or an ice cube wrapped in a cloth to numb the cut and help ease the pain, Dr. O’Connor recommends. For younger kids, ice pops can do double duty, serving as both a cold compress and a sweet distraction.

Treat pain

If your kiddo is still uncomfortable after icing their lip, it’s OK to use children’s acetaminophen or ibuprofen to take the edge off.

But skip the antibiotic ointment, Dr. O’Connor says. It’s unlikely to help. Instead, use petrolatum jelly to keep your little one’s lips moist. This will help prevent chapping and cracking.

And don’t bother trying to stick an adhesive bandage to the cut. It won’t work. (And taking it off will irritate an already-tearful toddler!)

Eat with care

For both of your sakes, encourage your child to skip lemonade — and anything else that’s very acidic, salty or spicy — while their lip is still healing. Opting for easy-to-chew food for the first day or two may also be a good idea.

Keep an eye on it

Nobody wants to see their kid in pain. So, how long does a busted lip take to heal?

Lip wounds often start to improve within three or four days, Dr. O’Connor reports. If your child’s wound isn’t getting better by then — or it seems like it’s getting worse — it’s probably worth calling their pediatrician.

Do you need to see a doctor for a split lip?

Usually, a split lip isn’t an emergency. “It can be scary, but most of the time, they heal on their own without stitches,” Dr. O’Connor says.

But sometimes, hugs, home remedies and ice pops aren’t enough. More serious cuts may need dissolvable lip stitches or skin adhesive to promote healing and reduce scarring. Dr. O’Connor advises you to see a doctor for a cut on the lip if:

• The cut is long or deep. If a cut is more than a half-inch long or a half-inch deep, that sucker needs to be checked out (and possibly closed) by a medical professional. (Stitches may not be the best choice for kids with certain medical conditions. Review your child’s medical history with their provider so they can choose the safest possible approach.)
• It’s a complex injury. If something went all the way through your child’s lip or the cut crosses the line where the lip meets skin, it’s important to have a plastic surgeon take a look.
• The wound is dirty. Always get help if there’s rust, dirt or debris in the wound that you can’t flush out with water. “You need a professional to clean the area and make sure your kid is up to date on their tetanus shots,” Dr. O’Connor adds. “The vaccine prevents a life-threatening bacterial infection commonly referred to as lockjaw.”
• Your child hasn’t had a tetanus shot. Ditto if you’re unsure of their immunization status.
• The cut is bleeding profusely. If the cut is still bleeding after applying pressure for 10 minutes, it’s time to hit up an urgent care. “Whenever possible, keep pressure on the wound while you bring your child in,” Dr. O’Connor states.
• A tooth is knocked loose. If your kiddo’s sporting a new gap in their smile in addition to that busted lip, a dentist is usually your best bet. Bring the renegade tooth with you, if possible. “The dentist may be able to reimplant it,” Dr. O’Connor explains.
• It’s not getting better. If your little one’s lip injury isn’t healing — or you see signs of infection, like worsening redness, swelling or discharge — bring them in for evaluation immediately.

Unfortunately, you can’t boo-boo-proof your kids. But with a little TLC, Dr. O’Connor reassures, that busted lip will be curved into a smile again in no time.