The 32 teeth you have when your adult teeth finish growing in are the only ones you’re going to have for the rest of your life, so caring for them is essential. They’re the entrance to your digestive tract and are responsible for breaking down food. But, while teeth seem as tough as bone, they don’t heal, and you don’t grow new ones.
This makes caring for broken teeth all the more important, so if you find yourself dealing with a broken tooth for whatever reason, you should know what to do until you can get to your dentist for help. Let’s review the reasons why teeth break, what you need to do right when it happens, and when you should get to your dentist for treatment.
The Nusblatt Dental team, headed by Dr. Adam Nusblatt, helps the East Village, Manhattan, New York, residents with a range of dental issues, including dealing with cracked or broken teeth.
A crack, fracture, split, or break in a tooth has several different types, including hairline cracks, a fractured cusp, a split tooth, or a vertical root fracture. These various breaks happen for a few reasons:
Whatever the cause, people with broken teeth often experience sharp pain (often when biting down), tooth sensitivity, and swelling. If the break leads to infection, you can also deal with bad breath (halitosis), fever, swollen gums, and swollen lymph nodes.
To manage issues with the broken tooth right when it happens, remember these tips:
A cold compress helps to prevent or reduce swelling from a broken tooth, especially if the break happens because of an injury. Also, avoid rubbing the tooth or touching the root.
Clean the remaining tooth with warm water to get rid of any dirt collected on it.
Any pieces of the tooth need to be collected and placed somewhere safe until you can get to the dentist.
Make a dental appointment as soon as you can to manage the problem, and get emergency care if their office isn’t open.
Keeping the injury as sanitary as possible helps to lower the risk of infection and protect your mouth as much as you can until you can get seen.
Follow these crucial steps to preserve the tooth and avoid further injury or infection, and as soon as you can, make an appointment with Dr. Nusblatt and Nusblatt Dental to get help.
