Chipping, cracking, or breaking a tooth can be very painful. The damage can be small or extensive depending on the condition of your teeth and the type of injury that has occurred.

With any sort of dental injury, your best course of action is to visit a dentist as quickly as you can. In the meantime, address any pain you have, protect your tooth and protect the inside of your mouth to avoid making the injury worse.

What do I do after I break a tooth?

If you break or chip a tooth, you should rinse your mouth with warm water promptly to clean the affected area. You will need to apply pressure to assist in stopping any bleeding, and cold compression can be used on the affected area to reduce swelling.

If you are lucky enough to find the piece of broken tooth, wrap it in wet gauze and bring it with you to the dentist. Visit your dentist as soon as possible after breaking or chipping a tooth.

What do I do if I lose a tooth?

If you have lost a tooth, put it in a glass of water or saline solution and get to your dentist as soon as possible. You ideally want to get to the dentist within 30 minutes so that you can get the treatment that you need right away. 

How do I manage pain until I get to the dentist?

If you’ve sustained a dental injury, you will likely need to try and manage the pain until you get to the dentist. Flush the inside of your mouth with warm water, and apply cold compression to the outside area to keep down the swelling. Rotate the cold compression on and off the affected area every few minutes.

Over-the-counter pain relievers and anti-inflammatories can be taken within the recommended dosages to help mitigate the pain. Another natural option to help with the pain is to apply clove oil to the affected area. The oil contains eugenol, a numbing agent with anti-inflammatory properties.

If you have chipped or damaged teeth and are in need of assistance, contact our team of dental experts today.