Dirt stuck in a cut- tetanus risk?

[Laurienna]

We were visiting a nursery this afternoon and my 15 months old fell and got a cut on one knee that bled a bit. We went home and my husband washed the knee with soap and water. Half an hour later I noticed that I could still see dirt in the broken skin and also at a spot next to that that didn't look like it had bled. I gave her a long bath and used soap again 2 more times but I could still see dirt. She is unvaxed and I'm concerned about tetanus. She was very tired, so I didn't want to bug her more, gave her dinner and put her to bed. But now I'm sitting here wondering if I should have used Neosporin.
My DH thinks I'm worrying too much...what do you think?

[CookAMH]

I agree with your DH

[Claire and Boys]

If air got to the cut, tetanus isn't a risk. It is anaerobic, so any air exposure kills the bacteria.

[MissRubyandKen]

I'm not a doctor. Here's my two cents without commenting on whether or not its a tetanus risk. I'd give her another bath or two today. If you don't have canning salt, go buy a big box. Its just salt, no additives. Put salt in the baths. Let her soak a bit. When she's in about ready to get out take a clean rag (not soapy) and rough the scrape up a bit. No, she isn't going to like it. If you took her to the doctor they would clean the wound abrasively to remove foreign material. That's what you need to do to clean a wound properly. Is this a cut or a scrape? I got scrapes like this once on my knees, only it was fresh asphalt that was being too stubborn to come out instead of dirt. Yuck!

[Laurienna]

Claire and boys, that's just it, I don't know that it all got exposed to air.
MissRubyandKen, yikes. I remember my mom having to do something like that with my sister. And of course today we are spending all day in another town and I actually can't give her a bath. It's mostly scrapes but there is a 3/4 inch cut. I'm guessing she fell on a rock. It bled only for a minute. This morning there is almost no dirt left but I can still see a tiny bit. Her skin is closing very quickly.
CookAMH, yeah, he still says I'm overreacting. I'm a bit in a paranoia mode since my son had a tick in his leg last week that the doctor had to remove from his leg by cutting around it.
We are on a roll here. I'm usually not too much of a worrier but I had been wondering for a while if we shouldn't have vax for tetanus and so now I'm feeling guilty that I didn't do it I guess. I mean, what are the chances she would get tetanus from a nursery in town?

[Otto]

Originally Posted by Claire and Boys

If air got to the cut, tetanus isn't a risk. It is anaerobic, so any air exposure kills the bacteria.

This isn't quite right. Tetanus is transmitted by an endospore, which then develops the bacterium, which then produces the ultimate toxin. A modicum of air exposure doesn't render the spores harmless.

That said, I don't think OP has anything to fret about. If you can see a bit of debris in a healing wound, it's pretty close to the surface. Tetanus wants to live deeper.