What to Do If You Break or Chip a Tooth

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Chipping or breaking your tooth can be a serious situation. Not only can it be painful, but it can also damage your teeth in various ways depending on the type of injury you have sustained and the overall health of your teeth beforehand. Unless it’s a very minor chip that is not causing you any pain and discomfort, you will need to see a dentist as soon as possible to have the damage assessed and treated. Here’s what to do if you’ve broken or chipped a tooth. 

Caring for Your Tooth

If you have broken or chipped your tooth, the first thing to do is wash out your mouth with warm water to make sure that the area is clean. Apply pressure if needed to stop any bleeding. If you are experiencing any swelling of the face in the area that has been affected, apply a cold compress to help. If you can find the other piece of the broken tooth, keep it safe by wrapping it in wet gauze and take it with you to the dentist. 

If You Lose a Tooth

If you have completely lost a tooth in the accident, try to preserve it by holding it gently by the crown using a gauze pad. You may be able to place it back into the socket. Rinse the tooth with warm water if needed, but do not use any cleaning solutions or scrub the tooth. Try to keep it in the condition that it is in until you can get to the dentist. You can do this by placing it in a glass of water or saline solution. Ideally, in this situation you should try and get to the emergency dentist within the next half hour. Contact this emergency dentist in Runcorn to get a priority appointment. 

Pain Relief

Chipping or breaking your tooth can be a painful experience, and if you are in a lot of pain or discomfort, there are several things that you can do for pain relief. First, flush your mouth with warm water to keep it clean and avoid anything further irritating the affected area. Do not try to eat or drink anything other than plain water. Over-the-counter pain relief might help, but do not take any more than the recommended dose. 

Protecting Your Tooth and Mouth

A chipped tooth can often have sharp edges that can cause further injury to the rest of your mouth and tongue. To prevent this, you might want to place a small amount of dental wax over the edge of the broken tooth until you are able to see the dentist. This will cover the sharp edges and prevent them from causing any injury to your mouth. However, this is usually only effective for small chips and can cause further damage if you have chipped off a large section of your tooth. Ask your dentist for advice if you are unsure. 

Chipping or breaking a tooth can happen from time to time in accidents or when playing sport. While most dentists are experienced with this problem and can help restore it to normal, knowing what to do in the immediate aftermath will help you get the best results from your treatment.