• Here’s why I pulled a root canal tooth and my options to replace it. It was in my first lower molar (#30) performed over 30 years ago. I’d say that is long enough to house dead tissue in my mouth. Root Canals are Dangerous to Health. In the holistic dental community, housing a root canal tooth is a danger to your health.
  • Why You Should Fix Your Cracked Tooth. While not everyone has the means to have their teeth fixed, it is important that everyone does have the best dental care out there. When you have a cracked tooth, you can keep living on, but keep in mind that the bacteria that is in your mouth can go into the tooth.
  • Dec 01, 2017  When you have a cracked tooth, you can keep living on, but keep in mind that the bacteria that is in your mouth can go into the tooth. This can cause the tooth pain, while also breaking it down further and might even cause infection.

In This Article

Table of Contents

Aug 20, 2010  If you are unsure if a tooth has a cracked/fractured root, contact your endodontist. Not all teeth can be saved, but endodontists are the specialists for saving teeth and can help you determine which ones to save.

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  • First Steps
  • Easing Your Pain
  • Prevention

A broken or cracked tooth may cause a very painful toothache, especially if the inner pulp of the tooth is exposed. That’s where the tooth’s blood vessels, nerve, and connective tissues are, and if that area becomes inflamed or infected, the pain can be excruciating.

While any damaged tooth needs to be seen and treated by a dentist, you can try some solutions for temporary pain relief while you wait to be seen.

First Steps

You need to see your dentist as soon as possible in order to prevent further damage from occurring to the tooth and gum tissues. Don't delay in calling for an appointment; many dentists leave slots on their schedule open for emergencies such as this.

While you're waiting, gently bite down on a fresh piece of gauze. If only part of the tooth has broken off, you may wish to collect the broken piece (if possible) and take it with you when you see the dentist. Even though he or she won't be able to use the broken piece to restore your tooth, the dentist may want to see if the piece that broke was enamel or part of a filling.

When a tooth cracks and the entire tooth remains in the mouth, avoid eating or biting down on it. A cracked tooth may or may not involve the root, so every effort to avoid contact with the tooth should be made in order to prevent the tooth from cracking further and potentially causing a root fracture.

Things to Avoid

If you have a broken or cracked tooth and are unable to see your dentist immediately, do what you can to keep pain from worsening. Note that these are temporary measures because only a dentist or orthodontist can repair a damaged dental nerve.

Stay away from the following:

  • Foods and beverages that are very cold or very hot: Since the dentin layer of the tooth (the tissue that lies underneath the outer enamel layer and surrounds the pulp) has likely been exposed by the crack or break in the tooth, extremes in temperature may cause pain.
  • Foods and beverages that are very high in sugar or are very acidic, as they may irritate the nerve in the tooth

Easing Your Pain

While these temporary remedies may not work (or work as you might like them to) in every situation, they may provide you the relief you need to make the time until your appointment more tolerable:

  • Use an over-the-counter (OTC) pain-relief medication like Motrin or Advil (ibuprofen) or Tylenol (acetaminophen). Be sure these are safe to use with any other medications you may be taking. You’ll probably want to avoid aspirin, which can slow blood clotting and cause problems if and when you need a root canal.
  • Floss between the teeth that are cracked or broken. Removing food particles and plaque, the sticky film that coats the teeth and contains bacteria may reduce pain. Be careful not to poke too deeply around the affected tooth.
  • Use oil of cloves (eugenol), which can be found in most health food stores. A natural anesthetic, it's been used in dentistry for over a century. Soak a small piece of cotton in the oil, then blot the cotton on a piece of tissue to remove the excess. Hold the cotton on the painful tooth for 10 seconds, making sure you don't swallow any of the oil.
Learn About the Health Benefits of Cloves for Toothaches and More
  • Try an OTC dental anesthetic like Orajel (benzocaine) or Anbesol (lidocaine), which you can find at most pharmacies. Or you can seal the affected tooth with an OTC temporary filling material (Dentemp).
  • Sleep with your head elevated. The inflammation of the nerve associated with a cracked tooth is very painful and is often what causes the most uncomfortable pain. Elevating your head when resting may ease some of the pressure in the area of a toothache.
  • Rinse with warm salt water two to three times a day. Salt water works as an antiseptic to remove bacteria from the infected area.

Professional Treatment

Your dentist will determine the best course of action to fix your tooth after he or she evaluates the damage. A cracked or broken tooth that's causing a toothache is likely to need treatment of the dental pulp to permanently treat the pain. The pulp extends from the crown of the tooth to the tip of the roots where it connects to the tissues surrounding them. Although the pulp is important during a tooth's growth and development, the tooth can survive without it once it's fully mature.

Treatment of dental pulp (nerve) injuries is called root canal or endodontic treatment. But the type of treatment for a damaged tooth depends on what type of tooth it is (baby or adult), its stage of development, and the characteristics of the injury.

5 Common Myths and Half-Truths About Root Canals Busted

Prevention

Living With A Cracked Tooth Infection

There's no doubt that once you have a cracked or broken tooth, you don't want to have one again. Be aware of the most common causes and do your best to avoid them:

  • Chewing and biting into hard foods, like nuts and hard candies
  • Biting on hard objects, such as a pen cap or pencil
  • Brittle tooth structure caused by root canal therapy
  • Old restorations that have begun to separate from the tooth's structure
  • Clenching or grinding of the teeth (a night guard can help)
  • Trauma to the face and mouth

A Word From Verywell

A toothache caused by a crack or break in the tooth may come and go, but don't be fooled. The longer you wait to have the tooth restored, the more serious complications may arise. See your dentist as soon as you can after you develop a toothache. Otherwise, your pain will inevitably increase.

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  4. Markowitz K, Moynihan M, Liu M, Kim S. Biologic properties of eugenol and zinc oxide-eugenol. A clinically oriented review.Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol.Free marching band drill maker free. 1992;73(6):729-37.

  5. Hersh EV, Ciancio SG, Kuperstein AS, et al. An evaluation of 10 percent and 20 percent benzocaine gels in patients with acute toothaches: efficacy, tolerability and compliance with label dose administration directions.J Am Dent Assoc. 2013;144(5):517-26.

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Additional Reading

Cracked Bicuspid Requires Tooth Extraction

  • American Dental Association. The American Dental Association. Do You Have a Cracked Tooth?

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