Broken tooth and infection
If your tooth is chipped or cracked and it doesn’t hurt, you might think it’s okay to leave it alone. While the damage to the tooth may not be causing any immediate problems, however, it’s always a good idea to see a dentist if your tooth is broken or cracked, and prompt treatment could prevent significant problems from arising over time. When a fractured tooth is left untreated, the tooth is more susceptible to infection, and when a tooth is infected, infection will only continue to worsen and spread if it is not addressed by a professional. In some cases, infection can spread into the neck and the head and cause systemic complications, and, though rare, this spread of infection could even be life-threatening.
Some people who have a broken or cracked tooth don’t have any symptoms at all or have only minor symptoms, while in other situations the symptom of a fractured tooth could be substantial, debilitating pain. Prompt attention from a dental professional can help reduce pain while also staving off future issues. Each tooth is made up of three types of tissue: the enamel outside layer; the dentin middle layer; and the vital soft tissue, called pulp, at the tooth’s center. This pulp contains nerve endings and blood vessels, and when a tooth’s pulp becomes infected by bacteria that enter through a dental fracture, it can cause the tooth to die. If the damage to the tooth is significant, the tooth may need to be extracted. If the tooth is broken and also discolored or particularly sensitive to heat, the pulp inside the tooth might be damaged, and when the pulp inside the tooth is exposed by a broken tooth, the pulp is more susceptible to infection. When left untreated, this infection can spread and wreak havoc on the body. Symptoms of an infection in the tooth, known as an abscess, could include persistent bad breath, pain in the teeth, swollen gums or swollen lymph nodes, and fever.
If you’re in pain or experiencing discomfort because of a broken tooth and you’re waiting to see your dentist, try using over-the-counter pain medication to reduce discomfort, and rinse your mouth periodically with warm saltwater to reduce infection and relieve pain. If there is a sharp tooth edge exposed in your mouth, get some dental wax at your local drugstore and cover the sharp edge to prevent injury to the tongue. If you can’t get dental wax, try using a small piece of sugarless gum to cover the tooth and protect the oral cavity, and maintain a diet of soft foods, resisting biting down or chewing, until you can see the dentist and determine the best treatment for your broken tooth.
If you have damaged or infected dental pulp, your dentist will recommend root canal therapy. In this treatment, the infected tissue is removed, lingering infection is treated with antibiotics, and the inside of the tooth is sterilized and sealed to prevent additional infection. Once the infection has been addressed, the tooth can be restored with cosmetic dental treatments. In some cases, dentists determine that the tooth cannot be saved, and these teeth are extracted and can also be replaced with cosmetic dental treatments. Less significant cracks, chips, and fractures can often be fixed with dental bonding treatment or with a dental filling. Larger fractures may require a dental crown, which caps the damaged tooth and protects it while providing a natural-looking, functioning replacement tooth. When only a minimal amount of dental enamel is damaged or missing, a dental filling can be used, while more visible cracks may require dental bonding to restore the damaged area and protect the inner layers of the teeth from damaging, dangerous infection.