What To Do If You’ve Broken Or Chipped A Tooth — 6 Simple Steps For A Quick Repair
We’ve all been there — you bite into something hard and hear a small crack, but think nothing of it.
Then a small part of what you’re eating doesn’t seem quite right, it’s not dissolving and it’s rather sharp.
That’s when you get that falling feeling in your stomach — it’s a piece of your tooth.
It’s not the end of the world, though. Fixing a chipped or broken tooth is old hat to an experienced dentist, and they can have you right as rain in no time.
Here are a few steps you can take to make sure you get the best repair job — and don’t cause further damage in the meantime.
- Don’t Panic
Honestly, you’ll be fine — even if it’s a super visible front tooth, dental repairs have gotten so good in recent years, no one will ever notice once you’ve had it fixed.
2. Clean Up
You’re going to want to rinse your mouth out with warm water — because you don’t want bacteria getting into the broken bit.
3. Pressure
Sometimes a broken tooth can be a bit bloody, and that’s alright. Apply some gentle pressure to help stop the bleeding — gauze can help.
Just like at the dentists after having a tooth pulled, you can put a small amount of clean gauze in your mouth and bite down very gently on it.
4. Save The Tooth
If you can find the fragment, try to save it in some wet gauze.
Even a dentist highly experienced with repairs may not be able to reattach it, but it can still help them to get the perfect shape when making a crown or filler.
Now is when you should be calling the dentist, to see when you can get it in for repairs.
This will affect your next steps, but you should try to get an appointment as soon as possible.
6. Management Until Repairs
Pain from chipped or broken teeth is pretty common, and if you can’t get an appointment right away you may need to take some over-the-counter anti-inflammatories.
Some people also use clove oil, which can help to numb the area. Just take it easy and don’t use too much.
If your tooth is sharp, it may be a good idea to put a piece of dental wax over it, which you can often find at a local pharmacy.
Try to avoid chewing with that area, and poking it with your tongue.
Once you get in to see a dental repair specialist, there are a number of options they might suggest, depending on how bad the damage is.
It could be as simple as gluing a piece back in, or creating a small resin piece in the shape of the missing bit, and attaching it to the tooth.
You may need to get a crown if the damage is extensive, but don’t worry too much about that.
Crowns are the most natural feeling (and looking) dental prosthetic you can get — you literally won’t even notice it’s there after a while.
Your smile will look as good as new in no time.
