Everything breaks, and teeth are no exception. Dental damage can be caused by factors like grinding, accidents, or using the teeth to open packages or bottles, and breaking a tooth can be quite disconcerting. Thankfully, your dentist is trained and equipped to treat and repair broken teeth so you can enjoy a healthy smile. Here’s a brief guide to how you should handle a broken tooth while preparing to head to your emergency dentist’s office.
How Can Teeth Break?
Denal injuries range in severity from minor chips that can wait a few days before receiving care to complete breakage that exposes the dentin and pulp inside the tooth and requires immediate emergency dental attention. If you have simply chipped your enamel, you may feel no pain since it contains no nerves or blood vessels, but it may make the tooth more sensitive to pressure or temperature changes. If the dentin or pulp is exposed to the air, however, you may experience severe pain and sensitivity as well as enamel discoloration. Exposing the pulp can also lead to destructive infections.
How Should I Handle a Broken Tooth?
There are several steps that will help you protect your smile when you are getting ready to head to your emergency dentist’s office after breaking a tooth. These include:
- Gather any broken pieces you can find and store them in a clean, dry vessel so you can take them to your dentist’s office.
- Rinse your mouth with warm water to remove dirt and debris.
- Avoid using the injured tooth when chewing and place sugar-free gum or dental wax over any sharp edges to protect your soft tissues.
- If the tooth is severely broken, apply a cold compress to reduce pain and swelling.
- Contact your dentist to schedule an emergency appointment. It’s important to seek immediate care if any yellow dentin or red pulp show through the wound.
How Can My Dentist Fix a Broken Tooth?
Dentists can address broken teeth in a variety of ways such as:
- Dental bonding: This painless and noninvasive treatment can address most minor chips and cracks in minutes without anesthesia.
- Restorations: Lost dental structure can usually be replaced with a restorative device such as a dental crown or a veneer.
- Root canal: This treatment can eliminate a severe dental infection at its source and save an injured tooth from extraction so that it can last for many years afterward.
- Extractions: If your tooth cannot be saved, it may be necessary to extract it and determine an appropriate restoration such as a bridge or dental implant.
Virtually everyone breaks a tooth at some point in their life, and dentists can administer a host of treatments to repair the damage and prevent infection. It’s a great idea to keep your emergency dentist’s phone number in your address book in case an oral health crisis strikes when least expected.
About the Author
Dr. Mitchel Harper earned his dental degree at the Texas A&M College of Dentistry and has practiced his craft for more than forty years. He has previously served as president of several professional organizations like the Fort Smith Dental Association and the Northwest Arkansas Dental Society. His office in Fort Smith offers preventive, cosmetic, restorative, and emergency dentistry. If you have broken a tooth, dial (479) 452-1638. If you’d like to know more about emergency dental care, contact the office online