A broken tooth can be caused by all sorts of things. Teeth chip, crack or fracture as a result of injury, cavities or other dental issues. In some cases, the damaged tooth causes excruciating pain, especially when the tooth's nerves and blood vessels are exposed. In other cases, pain is felt occasionally or not at all.
If ignored, a broken tooth can lead to complications, and that is why you should have a dentist repair the tooth immediately. While you are waiting to see the dentist, there are ways to deal with the tooth at home.
A person with a slightly fractured tooth will only feel pain when they put pressure on the tooth or when they ingest something that is hot, cold or sweet. If the fracture is severe, damage to the nerves and blood vessels may cause constant pain.
There is no remedy for a cracked tooth. Only the dentist can fix it, and all a person can do is make a dentist appointment. In the meantime, use over the counter painkillers for the pain and avoid putting pressure on the tooth. To prevent infection, rinse the tooth with salt water or a mild antiseptic mouthwash.
A fractured tooth is easy to detect. A person will feel the broken piece of tooth in the mouth. Depending on the extent of the break, a person may feel zero pain or agonizing pain.
It is essential to see the dentist to find the underlying cause of the break and prevent further deterioration of the tooth. While waiting to see the dentist, the broken tooth can be managed by doing the following:
1. Dental anesthesia or even home remedies like oil of cloves can be applied directly on the broken tooth to numb the pain. Over-the-counter painkillers can also be useful.
2. The sharp edges of the broken tooth can cut or puncture the tongue and inner cheeks. Cover the sharp edges with sugar-free gum until you see the dentist.
3. Carefully clean the tooth and disinfect it with salt water or antiseptic mouthwash.
1. Sometimes, the crack in a tooth is limited to the enamel. Such cracks do not need treatment, but the dentist might polish the affected area to smooth it out.
2. When the crack goes all the way to the nerve, the dentist will intervene to prevent the crack from getting bigger. Dental fillings may be used to fill the crack, but the best treatment for a cracked tooth is crown placement.
3. A slightly chipped tooth does not always need surgery, but its aesthetics can be improved with tooth reshaping or dental resin.
4. A severe break will often bleed and damage the nerve. The best treatment for such a break is a root canal followed by covering the tooth with a crown.
5. In severe cases, damage to the tooth may extend to the root, like in the case of a split-root. The best treatment option in such a scenario is tooth extraction.
Many people live with damaged teeth until the pain becomes impossible to bear. Do not be that person. Get ahead of the situation by seeing the dentist as soon as you notice that your tooth is cracked or broken. Save yourself the agony and expense of a tooth complication by calling the dentist right now.
Request a dental appointment here: https://www.dentistofvisalia.com or call Visalia Care Dental at (559) 975-1213 for an appointment in our Visalia dental office.
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