What To Do If A Glass Bottle Breaks While You'Re Drinking From It
Posted on: 10 April 2018
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Glass bottles are versatile, but they can also be dangerous under the right circumstances. Although rare, it's possible for a bottle to break while you're taking a sip from it. Maybe you fell or were in a car or at a gaming event while drinking from it, but in any case, if glass ever gets in your mouth, this is what you need to do.
Check for Debris
First and foremost, get some help from a second person or get to a mirror. Carefully look inside your mouth. You can use the flashlight on your camera to illuminate your mouth better.
Look for any signs of loose glass. If you see any that doesn't feel or look like it's embedded in your mouth, carefully remove it. If you do see any pieces that are stuck, leave them alone. Removing them could make the bleeding worse.
Apply Pressure to Wound
If you see any wounds from the glass, take a close look. You want to make sure that there isn't still glass embedded in it. If there isn't, you can apply pressure to slow the bleeding.
To do this, ideally, a black teabag is best. The tannins found in the tea help the blood to clot, so they're useful for stopping the bleeding. If you have one, just pop it into your mouth and hold it against the wound with your tongue.
If you don't have a teabag, gauze or paper towels will do. Just make sure to keep it held in place and don't accidentally swallow it.
No Water
You may want a drink in order to wash away a bloody taste in your mouth, but it's something you shouldn't do. If there are any small or loose pieces of glass still in your mouth, even rinsing could potentially send them down your esophagus. Rinsing and spitting isn't a good idea either, as any loose shards of glass will get thrown around your mouth while you swish and that could hurt you, too.
Get to Emergency Dentist
Of course, these steps are just enough to get you to the dentist's office. You need the tools and expertise of a dentist to look for broken glass and to care for any injuries you may have undergone. Your dentist can also check to see if your dental work has suffered any damage.
If your local dentist isn't open when your injury occurs, don't wait for their normal office hours. Reach out to an emergency dentist to get help right away to ensure that your mouth doesn't get infected or continue bleeding. Contact a clinic, like Cross Creek Family Dental, for more help.