Is a broken tooth an emergency?
If you have a tooth that is slightly cracked, especially if you’re not experiencing painful symptoms, it’s probably okay to wait until you see your dentist to address the issue. If your fractured tooth is sensitive or painful, over-the-counter pain medication can help you find relief while you wait to see a dentist. If your teeth is more severely broken, however, it may constitute a dental emergency, or even a medical emergency. Of course, if your tooth is damaged because of an accident or injury, other areas of your mouth and your face may also have sustained damage and you should seek medical attention promptly. If your broken tooth is more subtle, however, it could be difficult to tell if your broken tooth is an emergency, but there are some things to look for that might help.
While not every tooth fracture requires emergency dental attention, fractured teeth are among the most common types of dental emergency. People's teeth may break during contact sports, because of a fall or injury, or even because of eating, especially when the food is particularly hard or crunchy. Minor tooth fractures and chipped teeth don’t necessitate a trip to the emergency dentist, as there is no immediate threat to a person’s overall health or well-being when one of their teeth chips. It’s advisable, though, to schedule an appointment with your dentist if you do chip a tooth, to make sure that the problem isn’t more severe than it appears and to prevent further damage to the tooth. Major tooth fractures, where a large chunk of the tooth has broken partly or completely off, on the other hand, require emergency dental care. It’s not uncommon for such significant dental trauma to be extremely painful as well, which underscores the need for prompt dental and possibly medical attention. Without attention, a severely damaged tooth may eventually require extraction.
Many dental offices set aside periods of time throughout the day to treat emergency patients, and even if your regular dentist is unavailable, there’s a good chance that there’s another dentist in your area who can see emergency patients. Of course, this is only the case when your tooth breaks during regular dental office hours. No matter when your emergency dental situation arises, call your dentist’s office; most dentists provide emergency dental information in pre-recorded messages. If your dental crisis is significant, remember, too, that you always have the option of going to the emergency room. The medical staff there can treat the immediate medical issues and help you manage pain and prevent additional dental damage while you wait to see a dentist.
If your tooth is chipped or minimally damaged and you’ll see your dentist within a week or two, try over-the-counter pain medication if you have a toothache, and if your jaw aches, ice packs applied to the outside of the face, in the area of the damaged tooth, can help. Rinsing the mouth out with warm salt water can also help relieve discomfort and keep the area clean. If the edge of your chipped tooth is rubbing against your tongue or otherwise bothering the soft tissues in your mouth, you can use dental wax, or even sugarless chewing gum, to cover the roughened edges and protect your tongue. Minor chips and fractures are usually easily treated and can be managed reasonably for a few days while you wait to see your dentist.