Broken tooth appointments

A broken tooth is a dental injury that occurs when the enamel of the tooth is chipped or broken off. This can lead to a tooth that has a sharp, jagged edge. Chipped and broken teeth account for most dental injuries and may be caused by a diverse set of circumstances. You may chip or break a tooth if you experience a serious blow to the head or bite into something hard.

Cavities and tooth decay may also weaken a tooth, causing it to be more susceptible to breaking. In some cases, the break in the tooth may be so small that you don’t feel it or see it.

A broken tooth can be very painful. Pain may be especially intense as you bite down or chew on something. A broken tooth may also expose nerve endings in the mouth that are sensitive to hot and cold substances. If these nerve endings are left untreated, they can cause persistent, severe pain.

If you have a broken tooth, seek dental care right away. Broken teeth cannot be treated at home, and the enamel will not grow back. While you are waiting for treatment, there are a number of steps you can take to clean the area and prevent further damage. These include:

• Rinse your mouth out with warm water.
• Attempt to recover the lost piece of tooth, or if the whole tooth has been knocked out, the whole tooth.
• Apply pressure to the area with gauze (if the affected area is bleeding) and ice to reduce swelling and relieve pain.
• If you are unable to get to a health care provider’s office right away, you can apply temporary dental cement to the crack or fracture.

Untreated broken teeth can be painful and unsightly. Seek medical attention if you have chipped, broken, or lost a tooth.