Sometimes in life, the unexpected happens. There’s no getting around it. If you fall over, slip, or accidentally hit yourself in the face, you can accidentally crack a tooth – something that is uncomfortable at best, and painful at worst.
You can even crack a tooth from excessive teeth grinding or biting into a particularly hard piece of food, like candy. Some tooth cracks are so minor that you barely feel or see them at all. Some people don’t even notice the crack is there. But if you do crack a tooth and you realize it, what should you do? Here’s some guidance on how to deal with a cracked tooth.
Should I Go To The Dentist?
In short – yes. Many people avoid the dentist, seeing as it can be a little pricey, uncomfortable and time consuming. Even if you have a cracked tooth, you might still consider leaving it – after all, how bad can it be? But a cracked tooth, if left untreated, can be damaged by eating and general wear and tear, causing all sorts of problems. These include:
- Pain while eating. Even if your crack is minor, eating might make it worse – and in that case, you will experience pain while eating. When a tooth is cracked, some of its nerve endings are broken and exposed. This means that you can experience sharp pains when trying to chew food.
- Sensitivity to hot and cold temperatures. Most people experience a bit of soreness if they bite directly into something that is extremely hot or extremely cold. This will be extrapolated by a cracked tooth, however.
Due to the exposed nerve endings, you could experience pain when you eat a cold or hot piece of food. You may notice a stabbing pain in the cracked tooth as it is exposed to these temperatures.
- Swollen gums. If your gums are generally swollen all over, you should see a dentist – although this is unlikely to be caused by a cracked tooth. However, if your gums are swollen up just around one tooth, this could be caused by a crack or fracture.
- Intermittent pain. Cracked teeth rarely cause dull aches. They are more likely to give you intermittent pains which come up when talking or chewing.
How Will My Dentist Fix My Cracked Tooth?
If your tooth is cracked, it is a good idea to look into emergency dentistry. You can have your tooth examined immediately, minimizing the damage. Your dentist will examine the cracked tooth and ask a few questions about how you injured it.
The dentist might even touch or feel for the crack. If they still can’t identify it, your dentist might use a dye which visually exposes the crack. Then they will decide how to treat it.
Treatments include having a crown fitted or extracting the tooth altogether in more severe cases. Sometimes a root canal is necessary if the crack has extended down into the roots of your teeth.
If you crack a tooth, act fast to avoid painful symptoms and further damage. Remember that your smile is usually the first thing people notice about you, so taking care of it is essential.
