It doesn’t take much to chip or crack a tooth. Yet, it can be painful and embarrassing when it happens. Likely you’ll decide a visit to your dentist is the proper course of action, as they may refer you to an endodontist. An endodontist specializes in the treatment of traumatic injuries when the tooths nerve is compromised.
In Columbia Maryland, your dentist may refer you to the experienced endodontic team of Dr. Lina Jarboe and Dr. Burton Waxman at Access Endodontics. Dr. Lina Jarboe, Dr. Burton Waxman have many years of experience in relieving tooth pain as a result of nerve damage.
How to Relieve Pain from a Chipped Tooth
If you’ve recently chipped your tooth and you’re in pain, there are a few measures you can take to get some relief before you can get to your dentist or endodontist’s office. First, you’ll want to rinse your mouth gently with some warm water to keep your mouth as clean as possible. If there’s bleeding, you’ll want to apply some pressure in order to make it stop.
Once the bleeding has stopped, take a cold compress and hold it to the area outside of your mouth near your damaged tooth. This will help to reduce some of the swelling. Next, you can try some over-the-counter pain relievers to lessen the pain and some anti-inflammatories to reduce swelling further. To recap, you’re going to want to do the following:
- Gently rinse with warm water
- Apply pressure to stop bleeding
- Cold compress to reduce swelling
- OTC pain relievers and anti-inflammatories
These measures may not be enough to totally relieve your pain, but they should help mitigate some discomfort until you’re able to see your dentist or endodontist.
Preventing Broken Teeth
You will want to keep your mouth and cracked tooth protected until you receive medical attention. Otherwise, you may further damage the broken tooth or cut your cheeks or tongue. This protection can be achieved with over-the-counter dental wax, which you can use to create a buffer between the edge of the tooth and the rest of your mouth. Even with dental wax applied to the damaged tooth, it’s still best to try and avoid chewing on the compromised side of your mouth.
How to Fix a Chipped Tooth
There is a chance that you will need to have your chipped tooth repaired to restore its functionality. Remember that untreated damage may result in the loss of the tooth, tooth infection, or other complications. If your chipped tooth is left exposed and bacteria causes an infection, you may end up needing root canal therapy. Root canal therapy is a procedure in which your endodontist will remove the infected pulp of your tooth and replace it with a special material, eliminating the infection. This procedure is a highly effective one. However, your best bet is to avoid it altogether by seeing your dentist or endodontist as soon as possible after you’ve chipped your tooth.
Access Endodontics: For Your Cracked Tooth Repair
If you have a severely chipped tooth, don’t hesitate contacting Drs. Lina Jarboe and Burton Waxman at Access Endodontics in Ellicott City. Call 410.304.7226 or use our secure online form.