The Do's And Don'ts Of A Cracked Tooth
Posted on: 19 November 2019
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One thing you can never predict in your daily life is dental trauma . One day you're sailing along with a perfect smile, and the next minute, you bite into something solid and crack a tooth. When it comes to a cracked tooth, you must know what to do when the situation arises, as a wrong move could damage your tooth permanently. Here are the dos and don'ts for when you get a cracked tooth in case it ever happens to you.
Don't Panic
The first thing you should do when a piece of a tooth comes out of your mouth is remain calm. There may be some blood involved depending on whether the tooth broke away near the gum line, but the bleeding should stop within a couple of minutes if you place some pressure on it. Grab a clean washcloth, wet it with cold water and then place it gently against the spot where the blood is coming from. Hold it there for two minutes and then remove it to check if the bleeding has stopped. If the bleeding has not stopped, put the cloth back in place for another two minutes. Repeat until there is no more fresh blood.
Do Consider Emergency Action
Not all cracked teeth warrant a visit to an emergency dentist, but in some situations, urgency is necessary. Signs that you need immediate dental assistance include the following:
- If all of the tooth, as opposed to just a small piece, has cracked and fallen out
- If bleeding from the cracked tooth does not stop within 60 minutes
- If there is intense pain emanating from the tooth area
If any of these situations arise, call your local emergency dentist for an appointment.
Don't Prod The Broken Tooth
When you are a child and a tooth falls out, it is a lot of fun to poke at the hole with your tongue. That habit quickly comes back when you're an adult with a cracked tooth; however, you must refrain from this as much as you can. The reason for this is that your tongue is covered with tiny bacteria, and if the bacteria get into the open wound around your tooth, then an infection quickly develops.
At the end of the day, only you can decide whether to wait for dental assistance or seek emergency help when you crack a tooth. However, armed with this information, you can now make an informed decision about how long to wait if this dental trauma ever happens to you.