Teeth are strong, but they can break as well. In such a condition, there is no home remedy that can treat your cracked tooth, but only a dentist. Your cracked teeth can cause severe toothache, and if left untreated can make the situation much worse. What are some of the reasons why your teeth may crack?
How may your teeth get cracked?
Teeth can break because of a number of ways:
- Biting on hard food or something hard like ice.
- Using your teeth to tear something stiff and strong.
- Falling on your face.
- Getting hit on the face, especially your mouth.
- Grinding or clenching your teeth
- Leaving cavities untreated eventually weakens your tooth.
Can your cracked tooth get infected?
Well, the answer to this is yes. A broken tooth if left untreated can cause serious damage. In such a case you need to contact your nearest dentist as soon as possible. You can do the following until you get to see the dentist:
- Use warm water to rinse your mouth.
- In case you're bleeding, apply pressure on the area using a piece of gauze or tea bag.
- Applying a cold pack to the cheek or lips can hold your toothache.
- Take a prescribed pain reliever.
If you leave it untreated for some time, bacterias start to enter the softer layer of tissue under the enamel. From that moment it starts spreading, increasing the chances of an abscess - an infected material that begins to form. A few times, this abscess can cause extreme pain while sometimes it does not. Serious complications might start showing up if the infection starts to spread to other parts of your body.
What to avoid with a cracked tooth?
When you’re not able to see a dentist immediately, you can still keep the tooth ache from getting worse by:
- Avoiding foods and beverages that are either too cold or too hot. Since your cracked or the broken tooth has exposed the dentin layer, extreme temperatures could cause pain.
- Avoid foods and beverages high in sugar or acidic levels as they may irritate your broken tooth.
While these may not work for too long, you can try other things like:
- Using OTC pain-relief medication
For time being Motrin, Advil, or Tylenol can be consumed to ease the pain. Avoid aspirin as it can slow blood clotting and cause further problems.
- Floss between the cracked teeth
It is essential to remove food particles and plaque which contain bacteria as these can cause pain. Be careful while doing it.
- Use clove oils
Clove oil is a good pain reliever. You can find it in most health food stores. Soak a small piece of cotton in the oil, remove excess oil and hold the cotton on the painful tooth for about 10 seconds.
- Rinse your mouth with saltwater
Rinsing your mouth with saltwater works as an antiseptic. It removes bacteria from the infected area relieving you from pain. Do this two to three times a day.
See a dentist immediately
The best way to avoid everything is to contact a dentist who is available 24x7. Your emergency dentist - Gentle Dental is here offering awesome services, first-class support, and extreme professionalism. Visit the best and the gentlest dentists in Wellington today.
Source URL: http://gentledental.co.nz/services/emergencies/
