What to Do If You Break a Tooth: Immediate Steps to Take

Breaking a tooth is an awful event; not only can it be painful, but if it’s a visible tooth, it can be embarrassing, too. We’re going to run you through exactly what you should do if you have a broken tooth! The severity of the break will often depend on the way that it happened; if you had a more traumatic break, be prepared to manage the pain and, potentially, the swelling. Let’s get straight to it!

Pain Management

If you’ve broken a tooth and you’re in pain, we suggest taking paracetamol and ibuprofen to manage the pain while you get booked for a dental appointment. If you’re experiencing swelling, you can also use a cold compress. Apply a cold compress (like an ice pack wrapped in a cloth) to the outside of your cheek, above the affected area, for 10-20 minutes at a time, repeating as needed.

Hygiene

A broken tooth, especially when it exposes the inner part of the tooth called the pulp, can cause infection. It is recommended to increase cleaning, this includes brushing, flossing and drinking as much water as possible.

Visit your dentist

It’s essential you book an emergency appointment at your dentist in Andover or wherever is near you! Avoiding dental care when you have a broken tooth can cause an abscess, an infection or even injury to the gums and cheeks. If you need help after a broken tooth visit us at our Dental Clinic, Hampshire, and our dentist in Andover will help you restore the tooth quickly!

Check with your dentist to see if they’ve got availability to see you, and if not,shop around and take an appointment wherever you can. Don’t delay and exasperate the problem.

Broken Cosmetics

If you’ve got veneers, composite bonding or dental implants, and you’ve cracked the prosthetic and not your natural teeth, keep the broken porcelain / composite to take to the dentist. In some cases it may be able to be saved.  In cases where it has completely shattered, this will not be possible.

About Dental Concepts

We’re so proud to serve over 20,000 patients across our dental practice, Hampshire,  Andover, Whitchurch, Southampton and Poole. With over 1,500 reviews just like this…

I have been a patient with Dental Concepts for many years and all the team are very friendly and professional. I had to have some emergency treatment and like always, they fitted me in very promptly. I would highly recommend Dental Concepts for any dental treatment needed.
-Craig Bullock

We know we’re the perfect team to help you with your dental needs, whether you’re looking for help with a dental filling, tooth extraction or a smile makeover!