As you probably know, your teeth are strong and can withstand a great deal of pressure and wear and tear. However, there is always the risk that you chip or break a tooth. It can be caused by any number of reasons. Some of the common ones include:
- Suffering a direct blow to the jaw or face
- Falling down or any other accidental injury
- Cavities and tooth decay
- Biting down on something extremely hard
Generally, a chipped tooth doesn’t cause much discomfort, or even bleed. Your tongue is more likely to scrape across the sharp area where the tooth has chipped or cracked and that is when you realize you have a broken tooth. Of course, if a significant part of the tooth breaks, you are in for some real pain. So, what should you do in this situation?
- Firstly, check if there is any bleeding. If yes, take some warm water and rinse your mouth thoroughly. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to use mouthwash.
- Place a piece of cotton or gauze on the affected tooth and apply pressure so that the bleeding stops. Leave it on till you are absolutely sure the bleeding has subsided.
- If there is visible swelling, place a cold pack on your cheek or mouth, depending on the location of the broken tooth.
- Head to the dentist straight away. A broken tooth is a genuine emergency and if you don’t get treatment right away, the discomfort and problem will only exacerbate, requiring intensive treatment later.
These are some of the tips you can follow should you break a tooth for any reason. Make sure you don’t place any additional pressure on the broken tooth, because it is likely that it would be weak at the roots and might fall out. Let the dentist decide whether or not the tooth has to be removed!
