When you have a tooth cracked, chipped or broken the experience can be badly painful. The natural tooth or teeth can be easily damaged in several ways. The damage can be marginal or can be severe although that depends mostly on two factors – the type of injury sustained and the condition of the teeth. When the damage is anything severe then there is no way to mend it without going to a dentist. Meanwhile the best thing that you should do is trying alleviating the pain. Along with that you should also be careful about protecting the tooth as well as the entire mouth from any further injury.
What you should do when a tooth is chipped or broken
Unfortunately there is no home fix for a broken tooth. but there are certain things you can do to prevent further deterioration of the condition. After suffering a chipped or broken tooth it is helpful rinsing the mouth with lukewarm water right away. Then you should apply pressure on the injury site to bleeding if there is any. Oral health experts associated with the British Dental Association suggest place gauze soaked in water on the injury site and gently bite down on it.
Alternatively you can also use used tea bags instead of gauze. Bleeding is likely stop or at least come under check in some fifteen, twenty minutes. It is also helpful applying cold compress to the site of injury as well as the surrounding areas. This reduces bleeding, swelling and pain says a dentist who repairs chipped tooth at reasonable cost in the UK. Apply the cold compress on the outer surface of the mouth – either the cheek or the chin.
When you have a knocked out tooth
If you have a completely knocked out tooth it is important to get proper treatment within one hour from the time of the trauma. Otherwise it may not be possible to save and restore the tooth. When you go toothless that leads to a whole lot of different problems. We will discuss those some other time. You should obviously bring the knocked tooth to the dentist so that the expert can restore it. While collecting a knocked out tooth you should always handle it by its crown and not by the base where it remains attached to the jaw. The base of the tooth contains the nerves and the blood vessels. If you handle a knocked out tooth by its base you may damage its nerves and blood vessels.
If the nerves and blood vessels of a tooth get damaged it is not possible to restore that tooth back in its place. Avoid scrubbing the tooth or clean it vigorously to clear away the dust and the debris. Just hold it under a tap running cold water for a minute and you are done. In order to keep the nerves of a knocked out tooth alive you should put the tooth in a cup of cold water or milk. Carry the tooth to a dentist along with the container and soaked in fluid. Try to reach an emergency dentist within the next half an hour. In that case your tooth has greater chances of being restored.
Severe pain from chipped tooth and its relief
A chipped tooth may make you go through severe pain says a dentist who repairs chipped tooth at reasonable cost. In that case you can do the following to minimise the pain and suffering suggests the expert. Rinse the mouth well with lukewarm water. Make sure the inside of the mouth is clean. Apply cold compress to the injured site and the nearby areas from outside. Apply the cold compress for about 10 to 15 minutes and then give it a break for about 15 to 20 minutes. Continue with this for about an hour at a time. This minimises pain, swelling, bleeding and inflammation in the mouth. At the same time you should also consider taking OTC pain relievers. Even anti inflammatory medicines that are available over the counter prove helpful in this circumstance. When OTC medications are concerned you should never go beyond the recommended dosage.
Different stages of gum disease and relevant tips from an emergency dentist
Applying clove oil to the affected site is a home therapy that often brings results. Oil extracted from clove is a completely natural substance. It contains eugenol which is a natural pain reliever and anti inflammatory.
How to care for your mouth till you reach a dentist
When your tooth has suffered a tiny chip or a jagged edge you need to apply dental wax on the spot. This prevents your tongue from getting cur against the edge. But when a large chip or a substantial fragment of the tooth gets damaged then this dental wax therapy may not work. There are many over the counter (OTC) kits for temporary relief that include dental wax. You can even get it from your local drug store.
There is no need to chew from the side of the mouth that has the damaged tooth. Flossing also proves effective minimising irritation to some extent says a dentist associated with the Thousand Smiles.
Some tooth injuries require immediate treatment and those that do not
The molar teeth in the lower jaw are most prone to breakage and damage. This is confirmed in an article published by the European Journal of Dentistry. But as such any tooth may break or suffer damage any time. Damage in a tooth may range from slight cosmetic issues to serious injuries that require emergency treatment. As far as deep cracks are concerned those may run from the centre of the tooth to right into the pulp chamber. It may even run down into the tooth roots. The pulp chamber contains the blood vessels and the nerves of a tooth.
Even a crack on a tooth may not be visible. It may hide inside the tooth structure or even below the gums. Some cases of chips and cracks have no symptom at all. Some cases show symptoms that can easily be confused with that of cavity, gum disease or tooth sensitivity.
According to a dentist who repairs chipped tooth at reasonable cost in London the greater the damage the more extensive treatment you require for a chipped or cracked tooth.