Superbowl dental trauma!

So after surviving our fourth snowstorm this year, I headed to the office the day after the Superbowl and received this question from a patient:

I have a questions about a cut I noticed this morning while brushing as it felt raw. Yesterday during the superbowl I was eating chips and wonder if this could possibly be from a cut or if this is the beginning of something worse. I brush my teeth at least two times a day. I really hope this isn't anything serious! I rinsed my mouth with Listerine this morning after brushing.


This was my answer to him: Think of your gums as having a soft marshmallow-like consistency, and chips like a knife . . . the chips cut the gum and the gum area will initially have a cut but will then start to heal on their own and 'blob together'.  Don't use listerine b/c listerine has alcohol on it and drys out the gums . . . rinse with some warm salt water which soothes the gums and give it a couple of days.  Don't eat really hot or spicy food during this time b/c this tends to irritate the gum tissue.  In 3-5 days everything should have healed on its own.  And heretofore watch those sharp chips to avoid any Superbowl injuries next year!