What To Do With a Chipped Off Back Tooth

What to do with a chipped off back tooth? Dental accidents can happen anytime, no matter how careful you are. It can be a painful experience more so if you break your tooth.

Tooth chipping is common, and when you find yourself in such a situation, you should know what to do. Below are things to do when you have a chipped off tooth.

Rinse your mouth

When you break a back tooth, the first thing you need to do is to rinse your mouth with lukewarm water. This helps in cleaning the area. Also, by rinsing your mouth, you will easily remove the part of your tooth that broke off.

This ensures that you do not swallow the tooth or damage other teeth by biting on it accidentally.

Stop Bleeding

If breaking your teeth results in bleeding, apply some pressure on the area with a clean cloth immediately. By doing so, you will stop bleeding and reduce the chances of swallowing blood. However, as you apply pressure, be gentle not to scrub the area.

If you are too hard, you may cause more bleeding and increase pain. In cases where bleeding is excessive, you should call an emergency dentist. Excessive bleeding means that the injuries are severe than just a broken back tooth.

Also, if tooth chipping was as a result of an accident or trauma and you feel dizziness or headache, it is critical to seek emergency medical assistance.

Preserve the tooth if possible

Sometimes your tooth can separate from your mouth. In such cases, try to locate the tooth as quickly as possible. There are chances that your dentist can save and replace the tooth. If you find the tooth, rinse it and put it in milk or saline solution.

However, if you have no access to these, keep the chipped off tooth in clean water. In such cases, you need to visit your dentist as soon as possible.

Sometimes you will find that the tooth is loose but still in its socket. In such a case, do not try and pull the tooth out. Instead, leave the tooth inside your mouth. Trying to remove the tooth will only be painful and can result in excessive bleeding.

With heavy bleeding, you increase your chances of suffering an infection.

Cold compress

Applying a cold compress will alleviate pain and reduces the chances of swelling. The cold will constrict the blood vessels, thus slowing down blood flow to the injured part. This greatly minimizes inflammation and stops the bleeding.

Cold compressing can as well numb the area. But if you do not have a cold pack, you can fill up a ziplock bag with ice and use it instead. Wrap it with a towel before use.

Take pain killers

Tooth chipping comes with a lot of pain, and you need a pain reliever before seeking dental services. Therefore, take an over the counter pain killer as it will help you alleviate the pain. Some painkillers, such as NSAIDs, will as well reduce inflammation.

An example of NSAIDs drugs includes Ibuprofen, aspirin, and Celecoxib.

Visit a dentist Soonest possible

With a chipped off tooth, visiting a dentist is inevitable. Even if you experience no pain, never assume all is well. Even small chipping on your back tooth can result in lots of problems, such as weakening the tooth.

Also, there are chances of infections with a broken tooth, and this is why you shouldn’t take chances. A dentist will know what to do, depending on the severity of the problem. But how will the dentist treat a broken tooth?

Treating a broken tooth

Once you visit a dentist with a broken tooth, there are several solutions you can get. This will depend on the level of damage to your back tooth. A dental filling is a common option. This applies if only a small piece of your tooth has chipped off.

In this case, the dentist will fill up the hole with composite resin. However, if a large portion of your tooth has broken off, the dentist will recommend a dental crown. The dentist will use a dental crown to cap the tooth and protect the sensitive nerves.

What To Do With a Chipped Off Back Tooth – Conclusion

Other treatment options for chipped off tooth include dental veneer, root canal, implants, and dental bridges. All these depend on the dentist’s assessment. Therefore, you should as well ensure you visit the best dental practitioner.

This will ensure the right diagnoses and treatment. When looking for a dentist, consider experience, reputation, location, specialty, and also charges. Researching online and seeking referrals will make the process seamless.