At Tiny Tooth Co., your child’s comfort is our priority. During certain dental procedures, our pediatric dentists use local anesthesia to gently numb the tooth and surrounding tissues so treatment can be completed safely and pain-free.

After treatment, your child’s lip, cheek, or tongue may remain numb for several hours while the medication wears off. This numb or “fat lip” feeling can be unfamiliar to children. Because of this, some children may accidentally bite, chew, rub, or pick at the numb area without realizing it.

Occasionally this can lead to swelling, redness, or a small sore on the lip or inside of the cheek. While it may look concerning, this type of injury is not an allergic reaction and not an infection. In most cases it heals on its own within about 5–7 days without antibiotics.

At Tiny Tooth Co., we may offer OraVerse®, a medication that can help reverse dental numbness faster after certain procedures. This allows children to regain normal sensation sooner and can reduce the chance of accidental lip or cheek biting.

Parents should remind their child not to chew, bite, or play with their lip, cheek, or tongue while numbness is present, and younger children may require supervision until the numbness wears off.

If your child accidentally bites their lip or cheek, simple home care is usually all that is needed for healing.
What You Can Do At Home

Cold Compress
Apply an ice pack to the outside of the cheek or lip.
Use 15 minutes on / 15 minutes off for about 1 hour, up to 3 times per day for the first few days.

Pain Relief
You may give Tylenol (acetaminophen) or Motrin (ibuprofen) as directed on the manufacturer’s label.

Keep the Area Clean
Continue normal brushing and maintain good oral hygiene.

Avoid Irritating Foods
Avoid spicy foods, citrus juices, and tomato-based foods while the area heals.

Salt Water Rinse
If your child can rinse safely, use warm salt water twice daily for 3 days.

Topical Oral Gels
Over-the-counter oral numbing gels may help with discomfort, but use cautiously since additional numbness may increase the chance of biting the area again.

Please contact our office if:

• Swelling continues to worsen

• The area does not improve within 7–10 days

• Your child has severe pain or difficulty eating

Our team is always happy to help.