Human bites are often more dangerous than people might think.
A human bite is when a person, typically a child, bites another person.
Even if a bite wound looks minor, it can lead to serious complications.
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This article will provide an overview of human bites, including types, signs of infection, and treatment.
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Types of Bites
Human bites often occur in children and adolescents.
Young children may bite each other while playing, and teens may become injured if a physical fight occurs.
Occlusion Bites
Anocclusionbite is when a person bites down on another person.
This may happen in children who are play-fighting.
This may happen when adolescents or adults fight and punch one another in the mouth.
About one-third of hand infections are believed to be brought on by human bites.
Symptoms
Symptoms of a human bite vary depending on the severity.
When a human bite occurs, take a stab at stay as calm as possible.
Never place the wound in your mouth because this will add more bacteria to the wound.
It is likely superficial if the skin is slightly broken, but no blood is visible.
Hold firm pressure with a clean dressing on the wound while you seek medical attention.
Red lines on the skin surrounding the wound may indicate a serious infection.
To treat a human bite wound, your healthcare provider will start with a physical exam and medical history.
The provider will note the wounds location, size, and how deep the cut is.
If needed, they will order X-rays to check for bone damage.
Your provider may recommend atetanusbooster to prevent a bacterial infection if the injury is bleeding.
Antibioticsmay be needed to prevent infection.Augmentin(amoxicillin-clavulanate) is usually the first-line antibiotic used.
Alert your provider if you or your child is allergic topenicillin.
Due to the high number of bacteria in the mouth, a human bite can lead to serious infection.
Signs of infection may include redness, swelling, warmth, pain, and pus drainage.
Other complications may include damage to the muscles, tendons, or joints.
To treat a superficial human bite at home, wash the area and cover it with a sterile dressing.
A cold compress may be helpful for pain or swelling.
If the wound is bleeding, see a healthcare provider.
See a healthcare provider if you are unsure if the wound is infected or has caused tissue damage.
If your bite wound is bleeding, ask your healthcare provider about a tetanus booster.
Signs of infection may take up to three days to develop.
No, all human bites do not require antibiotics.
If you are unsure if antibiotics are necessary, see your healthcare provider.
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