Essential Steps to Take for Broken or Chipped Teeth

Sudden chipping or breaking of the tooth is really alarming experience. Dental trauma can occur to anybody anytime despite of the overall health of the individual. In case you are in similar situation then there are lots more you can do to prevent your mouth from permanent damage. Read on this blog to know about them.

Rinsing the mouth well

After breaking or chipping off the teeth, rinse it using warm water. This will ensure the cleanliness of the area by dissolving any dirt or blood. Even with swishing using warm water the broken or chipped off part comes out from the mouth. By this way you can save the tooth part from accidental swallowing or biting down.   

Stop profuse bleeding

In case there is bleeding from dental trauma you must try to stop it6 as early as possible. Use clean gauze or towel to do so. After bleeding stops, you can lessen the risk of licking excessive blood. Ensure that no scrubbing or irritation causes to the area otherwise it will promote both bleeding and pain.

Exert consistent pressure to the gums and teeth along minimal movement. If there is non-stop bleeding then visit to an Emergency Room right away. It can happen if the injury is more severe. Sometimes, you need associated medical care in case there is dizzy feeling.

Preserve the teeth

Find the dislocated tooth on an earliest note. Only a dentist can preserve and save the tooth. After finding it, soak it into the saline solution or milk. If there is no saline water or milk then you can make it work out by submerging the teeth into cold water.

As fast as you can visit the dentist as fast you can save the tooth. In case the tooth becomes loose but not come out fully then leave it there and rush to the dentist on an earliest note. Don’t pull it forcibly otherwise it can result in infection and heavy bleeding.  

Apply cold compress

Application of cold compress to affected spot will help in getting relief from pain. It will lessen the impact of swelling as well. Cold compress restricts the blood flow to the vessels by constructing them.

As a result, there is low numbing, inflammation and bleeding will stop eventually. If there is no cold pack you can fill ice in any ziplock bag and warp it in the towel to apply to the area.   

Take OTC pain killer

In case there is excruciating pain, you can consider taking OTC (Over-the-Counter) pain killer. Take it before visiting the dentist to get relief from pain. NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) will provide instant relief from pain by lessening inflammation to half. The common NSAIDs you can opt for are naproxen, aspirin and ibuprofen. Acetaminophen is efficient to provide relief from pain.

Visit the dentist on an early note

Visiting the dentist is the key step you can do after breaking or chipping the tooth. Sometimes, there is no pain but this doesn’t mean you should ignore the condition. In fact small fracture can weaken the teeth causing infections over time. If you are feeling intolerable pain then, visit the emergency dentist in London.

The dentist will provide right treatment by managing your symptoms. Just soak the tooth in cold water, saline solution or milk so that dentist can save it and locate it again into your mouth.

Treatment options for chipped or broken teeth

Numerous ways are there by which dentist can fix chipped or broken tooth. Some of the options are mentioned below for your reference:

  • Dental filling- In case only a little piece of the tooth comes off then filling can repair the damage completely. Dentist uses composite resin to carry out the procedure.
  • Dental crown- If the tooth breaks off in a large piece then dental filling cannot repair the tooth. At that time, dental crown is effective in capping the tooth in order to protect underlying sensitive nerves. 
  • Root canal- In many cases, pulp of the tooth infects during breaking of the tooth. At that time dentist performs root canal treatment for clearing the infection and places dental crown on its top.
  • Dental veneer- If your front tooth breaks down then porcelain veneer can restore it effectively.
  • Dental implant- It is an outstanding options for replacing the missing tooth. It appears; functions and feels similar to that of the natural tooth. This option restores the extracted and missing tooth. Consult with the dentist to check if you are eligible for dental implants.   
  • Dental bridge- Dental Bridge can provide optimal solution to your extracted tooth because of damage. It makes use of 2 abutments for anchoring the artificial tooth to fill in the gap of missing tooth.

Suitable option varies from a condition to another. So, discussion with the dentist is important. Visit to the orthodontist in case the braces break down. No matter if you exhibit any triggering symptoms or not breaking or chipping off tooth should need immediate dental care.