While a chipped or broken tooth may not seem like an emergency, it’s important to treat any fractures in the tooth promptly. If your dental fracture is minor, plan to address this with your dentist at your next scheduled appointment. If your broken tooth is more severe, see your dentist as soon as possible. Leaving a broken tooth untreated increases the risk of infection that will only get worse over time, and when the pulp inside the tooth is infected, infection can enter the bloodstream and spread into the neck and head, causing potentially life-threatening conditions. While rare, these systemic infections can be prevented with timely dental attention for broken or cracked teeth. Only a dentist can determine whether a dental fracture is significant enough for this risk to be present, and seeing a dentist shortly after damaging a tooth can help reduce the risk and put you and your tooth back on the road to wellness and wholeness.
Whether you have no symptoms, minor discomfort, or severe pain, a clinical analysis of your broken tooth is the first step toward restoring and preserving your oral health. If you have no symptoms initially, leaving a fractured tooth unrepaired is likely to cause discomfort, if not pain, so pay attention to any areas of discomfort you might notice while biting down or while eating or drinking very hot or cold foods or drinks. These are some of the earliest signs of a cracked tooth, and the symptoms are likely to worsen as the fracture progresses. Infection can occur if the break in the tooth’s enamel is severe enough to expose the tooth’s pulp, and infection can also enter through smaller fractures in some cases. If an infection sets into the fractured tooth, the pain will worsen. If you notice that your tooth hurts or has changed color, and if it’s sensitive to extremes, this may indicate that the vital dental pulp inside the tooth is damaged, and your dentist can tell whether or not the root is also damaged or if there is infection inside the root.
Dental pulp is the soft tissue inside the tooth that is rich with nerves and blood vessels. By nature, bacteria colonize inside the mouth as food debris and other outside elements gather on the surfaces of the teeth; this is why dentists recommend regular brushing and flossing, especially after meals. When bacteria proliferate in the mouth, they have the capability of entering the tooth through a chip or crack and infecting the pulp, possibly even killing the pulp that’s keeping the tooth alive. The most common treatment for infection in the dental pulp is a root canal. In this treatment, your dentist will remove infected tissue and sanitize the interior of the tooth, keeping it free from infection and preserving the structure of the tooth. If the tooth is too infected to save, it may need to be extracted. If the fracture is minimal, it may be sufficient to repair the chipped tooth with a cosmetic procedure, like dental bonding or composite filling, that protects the dental pulp while restoring the appearance and integrity of the tooth. In more severe cases, dental crowns may be recommended to protect the teeth and restore their shape and integrity. If you’re experiencing discomfort while you wait to see the dentist, try rinsing your mouth with warm salt water and using over-the-counter pain relievers for any aches you’re feeling. Use dental wax or sugarless gum to cover any sharp edges where the tooth is cracked, and avoid chewing with the affected tooth until you see your dentist for further instruction and treatment.