A Sharp Edge That Had Been Cutting Her Tongue for a Fortnight

Quick answer: A sharp broken tooth or lost filling that is rubbing the tongue or cheek needs smoothing quickly. A traumatic ulcer will heal within days once the cause is removed — but any ulcer that persists beyond three weeks needs examining properly, whatever you think caused it.

The call

Osnat, 44, from Givat Sharett, phoned about a painful patch on the side of her tongue. She had lost a filling from a lower molar roughly two weeks earlier and had been meaning to book something.

The lost filling did not bother her. The tongue did.

What we found

The lower left first molar had lost a large composite restoration, leaving a knife-edge of enamel standing on the tongue side. Running a finger along it, it was genuinely sharp.

On the side of her tongue, exactly level with that edge, was an ulcer about 8mm long — yellowish base, red margin, with slightly rolled and thickened edges from two weeks of repeated irritation.

The tooth itself was not causing her much trouble. Cold produced a brief sharp response, no lingering, and nothing was tender to tapping. The nerve was irritated but healthy.

Traumatic ulcers are the most common ulcers in adults and the easiest to resolve. They match the shape and position of whatever is causing them, they hurt out of proportion to their appearance, and — this is the diagnostic point — they heal within seven to ten days once the cause is removed.

That last feature carries the whole safety net. If a sharp edge has been smoothed and the ulcer has not healed in three weeks, the sharp edge was probably not the cause, and it needs proper investigation. The great majority of persistent mouth ulcers are benign. A small number are not, and the ones that matter present exactly like this: a non-healing ulcer, often on the side of the tongue, often with slightly raised or thickened edges, often painless in the early stages.

Osnat's ulcer was painful, of recent onset, and matched a sharp edge precisely. That is a reassuring combination — but reassurance is only earned by following up, not by assuming.

What we did

Immediately: smoothed the sharp enamel edge with a fine bur and polished it. Ninety seconds, no anaesthetic. That is the actual treatment for the ulcer.

The same visit: removed the decay under the lost filling and placed a new bonded restoration. It was a large cavity, and we discussed that the tooth would eventually need a crown, but a well-sealed restoration was the right step now.

For the ulcer: salt-water rinses, a topical gel for comfort, avoid acidic and spicy food. No antibiotics, which do nothing for a traumatic ulcer.

And the appointment that mattered: a review in three weeks, specifically to confirm the ulcer had gone.

The outcome

The ulcer was almost gone at ten days and completely healed at the three-week review. The tooth is comfortable.

She had not realised that a filling can be lost without pain, or that two weeks was longer than she should have waited. Most people do not.

What to do if this happens to you

1. Cover a sharp edge temporarily with sugar-free chewing gum or a pharmacy temporary filling kit if you cannot be seen immediately.
2. Warm salt-water rinses several times a day.
3. Avoid acidic, spicy and crunchy food while it heals.
4. Get the edge smoothed promptly. It takes minutes and it is the only thing that stops the ulcer recurring.
5. Do not wait for pain from the tooth itself. An exposed cavity collects decay quickly.
6. Have any ulcer lasting more than three weeks examined, even if you are sure you know the cause.

Sharp tooth cutting your tongue? Ramat Beit Shemesh Urgent Dental Care can smooth it in minutes. 055-985-8845 · WhatsApp https://wa.me/972559858845 · Harav Kook 28/1, Beit Shemesh.

Based on real cases treated at the clinic. Names have been changed.