Broken tooth – what to do?

Introduction

A broken tooth, also called tooth fracture, can occur at any age, in milk teeth as well as permanent teeth. This is caused when too strong forces are applied and the tooth cannot withstand the load. For example, chewing hard bread or an accident with a blow to the face can be the cause.

Caries, which hollows out the tooth from the inside and makes it unstable, also promotes the chipping of a part of the tooth. A distinction is made between simple and complicated tooth fractures. In a simple fracture only the enamel is affected, in a complicated fracture the tooth cavity or the root is also affected.

What should you do if the tooth is broken?

When a tooth is broken, the first thing to do is to stay calm and act deliberately. One should gather oneself and stop existing bleeding with a cotton or gauze cloth. Paper handkerchiefs are not suitable for this, however, because they are non-sterile and can stick to the wound.

Afterwards, all the broken off parts of the tooth should be collected and stored moist so that the tooth does not dry out. A tooth rescue box is ideal for this. It contains sufficient nutrients to keep the tooth alive for up to 48 hours.

UHT milk, alcoholic solution or sterile saline solution from the pharmacy are also suitable for short-term storage of up to one hour. However, only if the box is not at hand. Under no circumstances may tooth parts be stored in a dry place, cleaned, disinfected or touched at the root of the tooth!

This can make healing more difficult or impossible. If pain occurs, it can be temporarily relieved with a painkiller. Cooling the region is especially useful in the event of an accident, as this can prevent the development of swelling.

Cold/heat/pressure should be avoided in most cases. The surrounding tissue will only become more irritated and thus promote the development of an inflammation. A quick trip to the dentist has top priority, since only here can the fracture be professionally treated and the pain permanently eliminated.

It is best to visit the dentist on the same day. Since this is a dental emergency, depending on the degree of the fracture, appointments can usually be made quickly. If the tooth breaks at the weekend or late in the evening and there is pain, it is advisable to present yourself to the dental emergency service.

There, initial treatment can often be carried out and pain caused by the broken tooth can be relieved until the final treatment. If you wait too long to see your dentist, the broken fragment may become discolored and lose its vitality. The prerequisite for reattachment is then no longer given.

Also an inflammation of the tooth root, which requires a root canal treatment, cannot be excluded. If the tooth wobbles, it should not be moved. Movement by tongue, fingers or other instruments can loosen it further and increase the severity of the injury. Furthermore, it should be avoided to eat crumbly food, as it can settle unfavorably on the affected tooth. Under no circumstances should an attempt be made to stick the fragment itself, as this can have a negative effect on a definitive restoration by the treating dentist.