Broken Or Cracked Tooth

Many people dread the thought of damage to their smile more than they dread the thought of breaking a bone or needing surgery. While some may consider this crazy, think about this: you only get one set of permanent teeth. If something happens to one of your permanent teeth to cause severe damage, your smile will be altered for life. Since your smile is one of your most personal characteristics, incurring damage can be devastating.

Tooth enamel is the hardest substance within the human body, but it is not invincible. A traumatic accident, being struck in the face, poor oral health, and even something as simple as chewing your nails can cause damage to the teeth. Many people have cracks in their teeth without knowing it, and it is not until a random event occurs that they realize it. Any type of pain while chewing, extreme tooth sensitivity, or throbbing pain that comes and goes should not be ignored. By treating a small crack in a tooth, you can avoid severe damage and breakage.

A broken tooth is considered to be a dental emergency. When a tooth is broken, a portion of the tooth will break off from the natural tooth. There are instances where a broken tooth can be saved, but this is not always the case. However, it is always necessary to seek immediate dental treatment if a broken tooth occurs. Not only will the pain (typically) be quite intense, but further damage to your smile can happen if the tooth is not treated right away.

The following steps can help you increase your chances of saving your tooth so that your dentist can reattach the broken piece to your natural smile:

1. Find the piece, or pieces, that have broken off.
2. Place the broken piece in a small cup with a small amount of milk or your own saliva in the cup.
3. Rinse your mouth with salt water to try to lessen the bleeding.
4. Contact your dentist immediately!
5. If you are in intense pain, ask your dentist about taking over-the-counter pain medication.
6. Don’t panic.

At Buford Family Dental, we are here to provide complete dental care services to our patients. If you experience a dental emergency, please contact us right away.