Teeth are fairly strong, but they still can fracture, break or chip. Teeth tend to usually break because of trauma. This can happen if the person bites down on something that is very hard, or if he or she sustains a blow to the face especially the mouth region. A child can possibly fracture a tooth when they fall off a bike or a curb while play. Cavities that formed previously can a tooth and cause the tooth to chip or fracture easily. If a very large section of the tooth breaks off, pain will be felt if the nerve that is inside the tooth gets damaged. If the nerve gets exposed to hot or cold foods or drinks, air or saliva it can be painful and extremely uncomfortable.
A tooth cracking or fracturing can result in pain but this is not necessary. The damage may not be immediately noticeable if no pain has been sustained. If it is a minor tooth fracture then it is unlikely to result in any symptoms. The deeper fractures are the more painful ones as the damage can extend all the way till the nerve inside the tooth. Pain resulting from a fracture can be either constant or it may come and go. Many people feel the pain when they begin chew as the chewing motion can apply pressure to the fractured tooth. A larger fractures leads to a part of the tooth breaking off.
There are different ways to deal with these conditions. In the case of a fractured tooth, the person needs to see a dentist especially if the tooth is sensitive to any changes in the temperature or if the tooth hurts while the person is eating. Pain that is constant is an indication of a severe fracture and needs to be taken seriously. Here damage had probably been caused to both the nerve and the live tissues that lie inside the tooth. In the case of a broken tooth the person needs to see the dentist at the earliest. Adults whoa re suffering from a damaged nerve will normally require root canal treatment. For children the dentists will probably try to save the nerve if the problem is attended to immediately. What one can do in the interim is to save any of the broken tooth pieces as the dentist might be able to cement them back. Rinse the mouth with warm water and the fragments of tooth too. For an area that is bleeding apply a bit of pressure then some gauze for a few minutes till the bleeding stops. A cold compress can also be applied to the lip or cheek area over the broken tooth. It aids in relieving pain and reducing swelling.
Teeth are normally very hardy and strong but high impacts or falls can cause either a part of the tooth to chip or fracture or cause the entire tooth to fall off. In the case of very young children who are still unsteady on their feet, occurrence of tooth fractures or chips is fairly common. It may happen in the playground, or while riding a bike or while simply walking. When a blow is sustained to the face in and around the mouth area, then the impact can also cause a fracture or crack to the tooth. The immediate course of action to follow is to apply pressure on the area around the broken tooth to stop any bleeding that might be there. You can apply a piece of gauze to help stem the blood flow. Rinse the mouth out with warm water and check to see if the tooth appears to be fractured or chipped. Applying a cold compress or an ice pack to the outer cheek or lip above the area of the chipped or fractured tooth can also help to relieve any pain that might be there and help to reduce in swelling.
There are various kinds of tooth fractures that can occur. These include a minor crack appearing on the tooth which is also referred to as crazy lines. These tend to be superficial fractures and only really affect the tooth enamel of the outer part of the tooth. These rarely need dentist intervention or treatment. In the case of a chip on the tooth different treatments are used depending on the age of the patient and the size of the chip. Normally in the case of adults the dentist would try to make the tooth look better by putting in a filling to help it look better and to stop it from getting worse. In the case of children minor chips arte usually ignored or would be lightly sanded over to take off any rough spots or edges that might have resulted in a sharp piece sticking out and causing more harm. A serious fracture which involves any damage to the nerves or the other tissue in the tooth would normally include a root canal treatment for adults. For children the dentist would probably try to repair the nerve damage or might just extract the tooth as the pain and swelling may be quite severe. If a crack has appeared on the tooth then the dentist will try to fill it in to prevent the crack from further widening and to facilitate easy chewing
Submitted by P T on March 3, 2010 at 12:13
Teeth are fairly strong, but they still can fracture, break or chip. Teeth tend to usually break because of trauma. This can happen if the person bites down on something that is very hard, or if he or she sustains a blow to the face especially the mouth region. A child can possibly fracture a tooth when they fall off a bike or a curb while play. Cavities that formed previously can a tooth and cause the tooth to chip or fracture easily. If a very large section of the tooth breaks off, pain will be felt if the nerve that is inside the tooth gets damaged. If the nerve gets exposed to hot or cold foods or drinks, air or saliva it can be painful and extremely uncomfortable.
Submitted by P T on March 2, 2010 at 04:37