It’s pretty easy to overlook a small crack in your tooth. In fact, you may not even know it’s there. If you do notice one, though, here’s why you should go to your dentist right away.
- It doesn’t look good.If one of your front teeth is cracked in particular, it is most likely pretty noticeable when you smile, and no one wants that.
- Cracked teeth are painful. When a tooth cracks, it may expose a nerve that will rub against your tooth, so you will be in a lot of pain, especially when eating or drinking something very cold or hot.
- A cracked tooth will limit what you can eat. Hard foods like nuts or apples will be very difficult, if not impossible, to eat. You’ll also have a really hard time with hot coffee or tea, or an ice cold drink of water. Not only is this inconvenient, it makes daily life more difficult than it has to be.
- Cracked teeth don’t heal on their own. Even the tiniest crack can get bigger and bigger with daily wear on your teeth, and it will just keep getting worse. You’ll be in more and more pain each day, and leaving it for too long can lead to very serious consequences.
- Cracked teeth can get infected if you leave them for too long. The infection can easily spread to your gums and even your jaw bone. If the inner pulp of your tooth is infected, you’ll need a root canal to remove the infected pulp, and if it gets bad enough, your dentist may have to remove the tooth altogether!
When you crack your tooth, it is important to see your dentist as soon as possible, but until then, there are a few things you can do to relieve the pain.
If you can see your dentist soon after you crack it, bite down on a piece of clean gauze and stay away from hot or cold drinks and food. If it will be awhile before you can see your dentist, avoid hot and cold food or drinks and also any food that is acidic that could irritate the exposed nerve.
For a minor crack, it may not need treatment- your dentist can polish it away if it’s just on the surface. If the tooth is cracked down to the nerve, the tooth may be able to be repaired with a special filling material or a protective crown.
Think you’ve got a cracked tooth? Get in touch with our office today and we’ll help get rid of the pain and get you smiling again!
