Even if you are diligent with brushing and flossing, there’s never a zero percent chance you’ll experience a dental emergency. They can happen anytime, anywhere, so it’s important you know how to handle them. A common one that many patients experience is damage to their smile. While you might be worried in the moment, here’s a guide on how to handle a broken tooth and what your dentist can do to help.
How Should I Deal with My Broken Tooth?
Firstly, take a breath to calm yourself down and look at the affected dental structure. If the issue is minor, like a small chip, then it may only be a cosmetic concern. Your tooth isn’t in any immediate harm, but cover the sharp edge with dental wax or sugarless gum to avoid injuring your inner cheek or tongue. Don’t eat on that side of your mouth as well to prevent the problem from worsening.
If it’s more severe and the inner tooth pulp is exposed, follow these steps:
- Find the part that broke off and put it in a clean container.
- Do a warm saltwater rinse to remove bacteria and debris.
- Take over-the-counter medication and use a cold pack to relieve any discomfort.
- Call your dentist to schedule an urgent visit. Be sure to let them know if you see yellow dentin or red pulp. They will then give you more advice to follow while you head to their office.
Can My Dentist Fix My Broken Tooth?
No matter how bad your broken tooth is, it’s important you see your provider sooner rather than later. Getting it fixed can help you avoid making the problem worse and give you back your confident smile and comfortable bite. Depending on the severity of the damage, they may recommend:
- A filling or direct bonding can be great if it was a small chip or a cosmetic issue.
- A crown can be best if more of the structure has been affected. This is like a cap that will restore the look and function at once.
- A root canal may be needed if bacteria find their way to the inner pulp. Getting this can save your tooth and prevent or stop an infection from spreading.
- In rare cases, an extraction may be recommended if your oral health is being threatened. Your dentist will try out every other option before this one.
Regardless, a broken tooth can be worrying, but your dentist is here to help. By following the steps above, you can handle the situation with ease and get back your confident grin as soon as possible.
About the Practice
At White Oak Dental, our team is proud to serve the Chaska community with compassionate, high-quality dental care. Led by Dr. April Korte, we are able to provide emergency dental care to those who need it with same-day urgent visits. By finding the problem, we can get you out of pain and restore your smile as quickly as possible. If you have a broken tooth, the fastest way to schedule an appointment is by calling our office at (952) 448–2868.