You bite into a big, juicy hamburger. You stop chewing immediately because you notice something hard that isn’t hamburger meat or one of the toppings. You pass your tongue across your teeth. A portion of a tooth is broken off, and it’s slicing into your tongue. You quickly do an internet search for “dental office near me,” but what can you do about the broken tooth right now?
Does the Tooth Hurt?
When a tooth breaks or fractures, the dentin inside is exposed to the air. The nerve may be involved. You’ll notice this when the tooth reacts to hot or cold beverages. Chewing will add pressure to the broken tooth as well.
What to Do Until You See a Dentist
A dental office will look at the tooth to ascertain if a cavity was the cause of the break and if the nerve is involved. This could mean a root canal. Until you get there, rinse the mouth with warm saltwater. Using gauze or a tea bag over the bleeding area, put pressure on the broken part of the tooth. Use an ice pack to take down any swelling. Take over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen or Tylenol.
What Will Happen at the Dentist’s Office?
Once you find a dentist after searching for “dental office near me,” you will need to receive treatment. There are several kinds of tooth breaks requiring various treatments.
• Cracked tooth: If the broken tooth was caused by a crack about which you didn’t know, the crack could go clean down into the nerve. This will require a root canal and a crown over the tooth.
• Broken cusp: This is the chewing surface of the tooth. It generally doesn’t involve the nerve, so the only irritation will be to the tongue. The dentist will use an overlay or a crown to return the tooth to normal.
Any serious splits or breaks involving the nerve or root will need a root canal and crown.
