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WHAT TO DO IF BROKE OR CHIPPED AT TOOTH

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WHAT TO DO IF BROKE OR CHIPPED AT TOOTH

You may not feel any pain if your tooth is chipped unless it is severe.  A crown can fix a chipped tooth. The pain by a cracked tooth is only felt when chewing or with temperature change.  A cracked tooth can damage the roots or only enamel.

CAUSES

Some causes of a chipped or broken tooth include:

    1. Poor hygiene – oral care is very necessary for good health especially if the enamel is damaged already.
    2. Cavities – they weaken the tooth, so they broke and chip.
    3. Face trauma – being hit on the face or mouth can result in a damaged tooth.
    4. Hard biting – biting on things that are hard i.e., ice cubes, bones, walnuts, etc. can weaken the tooth.
    5. Teeth grinding – teeth grinding also known as ‘bruxism’ affects the teeth.

SYMPTOMS

Some symptoms of a broken or chipped tooth are:

  1. Sour taste in the mouth
  2. Increased sensitivity
  3. Irritation of the tongue when caught on rough surfaces of the tooth,
  4. Bad breath.
  5. Pain while chewing
Guidelines if you break or chip your tooth
  • There are several ideas for you in case of this emergency.
  • Wash your mouth with warm water to get rid of any residue.
  • Apply pressure that would help stop the bleeding.
  • Using a cold compressor would help decrease swelling.
In case of a loose tooth

From the Guidelines of HealthLine, in case you lose a tooth, here is what you can do:

  1. Try to place it back in the socket if possible, making sure not to swallow it.
  2. Place it in saline solution, water, or place it in a glass of milk if you are unable to place it back in the socket.
  • Try getting to the doctor in half an hour.
    In case of broken or chipped tooth the treatments instructions followed are:
TREATMENTS
  • The treatments usually depend on the severity and locations.
  • Your doctor will first inspect your mouth and ask for any possible symptoms.
  • Anti-inflammatory/ pain relievers are recommended.
  • Applying clove oil to the area – helps with its anti-inflammatory properties.

Some Treatments Done by Dentists for fixing a chipped or broken tooth are:

  • Tooth repair kits are available in medicine stores that can be used until dentist appointments.
Chipped Tooth Treatments 
  1. Small chip treatments – the dentist will simply polish the damage if the chip is polished.
  2. Medium chip treatments – a filling or crown is recommended if the enamel is a minor injury.
  3. Large chip treatments – a crown or cap is recommended if the tooth nerve is exposed.
Cracked tooth Treatments 
  1. Simple cracked tooth – the tooth is polished to help with the crack if not severe.
  2. Split root – tooth extraction is the only treatment.
  3. Tooth bonding
  4. Tooth splint – when a tooth is loose or displaced it is bonded with the next one until the gum heals.
  5. Root canal – if the tooth pulp is damaged filling, bonding, or tooth crown.
  6. Surgery – can be recommended to find out cracks.

Maintain good hygiene of your teeth to elude these circumstances.