Why not to ignore cracked tooth

A cracked tooth can cause pain when you eat or drink something that is hot or cold.  The pain may not be as bad as a cavity.  But it can be pretty bad - and get worse.

Besides pain, a cracked tooth is also harmful to your health.  Infection can grow inside your tooth.  Then spread to your jaw.

It's serious.  People die each year.

It's also common.  37% of people will have one or more cracked teeth in their lifetime

Causes of a cracked tooth

Be careful, there are many reasons for cracked teeth:
●  Chewing on anything hard like ice, nuts or hard candy
●  Blow to the mouth
●  Grinding and clenching your teeth
●  Uneven chewing pressure
●  Teeth with root canals
●  Exposure to temperature extremes.  Such as eating hot food then drinking ice water.
●  Teeth with large fillings

Types of cracked teeth

It's common for the crack to start small and get worse.

Here are the types of cracked teeth:

Craze lines.
These are tiny cracks in the outside enamel of the tooth.  Craze lines are very shallow and don't cause pain.

Fractured Cusp
This is a piece of the tooth coming apart, often around a filling.  Often the sensitive pulp of the tooth is not damaged.  A new filling or crown is a common repair.

Split tooth
A split tooth often starts as a minor cracked tooth.  Over time it gets worse.  Finally a split tooth will be really painful and the tooth cannot be saved.

Treatable crack
If the crack is above the gum line it is often treatable with a root canal and a cap.

Untreatable crack
Over time the treatable crack will extend down below the gum line.  Then it cannot be repaired, so it must be pulled out.

Definitely go to the dentist when you first feel the pain.

Symptoms

Cracked teeth often don't have symptoms for some time.  When they start, these are the common symptoms:

  • Pain when biting or chewing. Especially painful when you release the bite.
  • Heat, cold, or sweetness cause pain.
  • Pain that comes and goes.
  • Swelling of the gum around the cracked tooth.

Complications

The most serious and painful complication of a cracked tooth is infection.  Symptoms from a dental infection include:

  • fever
  • pain when chewing
  • swollen gums
  • tender glands in the neck
  • bad breath

Treatment for a cracked tooth

Treatment will depend on the type of crack:

A minor crack or craze line may not require any immediate treatment.

A small crack or fractured cusp may need a filling.

A crown may be needed for a crack above the gum line.  And a root canal for cases when the tooth's pulp is infected.

Sometimes teeth must be pulled for cracks below the gum line and other serious cases.

When should you see a Dentist?

Anyone who might have a cracked tooth should see a dentist right away.  If you're having pain and discomfort don't delay at all.

Waiting to see the dentist makes it more difficult to save the cracked tooth.

Complications such as infection are also possible at any time.  And that is serious.

Get an Appointment

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Go with a Dentist unless you know you need some other more advanced help.  The Dentist will be sure you get an appointment with the right office.

Above all, get an appointment.
It's serious.  Don't ignore a cracked tooth.