A fractured tooth can cause an unbearable toothache. The intensity of the pain you experience might significantly increase and lead to complications if you don’t do anything about the problem. That’s exactly why you need to know how to stop a toothache from a broken tooth.
It goes without saying that visiting your dentist in case of a broken tooth is definitely a must. However, if you can’t visit your dentist right away, here you will find some easy tips that will help you numb the pain.
Tooth Anatomy
The pain you experience from a broken tooth can increase if the inner pulp of your tooth is exposed. The inner pulp (endodontium) is located in the center of each tooth and has a very important function as it holds the tooth’s blood vessels and nerves.
Every tooth has an outer layer called enamel. Enamel is the hardest material in the human body. This hard layer serves as protection for blood vessels and nerves.
The crown is the anatomical area of the tooth that’s visible in the mouth. It is usually covered by enamel. If your tooth is broken, dentists typically resolve this problem by applying artificial crowns which can cover the entire damaged tooth.
Cavities are among the most common reasons behind toothaches. They can also break your teeth. Aside from cavities, tooth enamel can be cracked by biting into something hard, sports accidents, etc.
How to Treat a Toothache
If you’re wondering how to stop a toothache from a broken tooth at home, the following solutions should help.
First Things First
Before you try any further methods, find a piece of gauze and gently bite it down. If there’s bleeding inside the mouth, this will help reduce it. Once the gauze fills with blood, replace it with a fresh one.
Also, if you find broken pieces of your tooth, you should collect them and take them to your dentist. This will help the dentist determine faster if that piece was a part of filling or enamel. That information can speed up the process, which is everyone’s goal.
Rinse Your Mouth
Make sure to clean your mouth and prevent infections from occurring. Rinse your mouth after each meal in order to eliminate the debris surrounding your broken tooth.
For this procedure you can use plain cold or warm water. Using salt water has shown more positive effects as it can be used to prevent many oral diseases.
Be very gentle while rinsing your mouth. As mentioned, the goal here is to prevent infections from occurring as they can cause apical pain and lead to abscess or further complications.
Apply Ice
Roll ice cubes in a towel and gently press it to the swollen part of your face. You should apply ice every 15 to 20 minutes in order to decrease the swelling and pain.
If you don’t have ice cubes but still need a fast solution, you can use bags of frozen vegetables or anything cold that you can press to your skin without causing any damage.
Use Peppermint Tea Bags
Peppermint tea bags are known for decreasing pain and nurturing very sensitive gums.
The procedure is simple. Make peppermint tea and wait for the tea bag to cool off. Although it is advised to put the tea bag in the freezer and apply it to the affected area afterwards, you can also use a slightly warm tea bag if you need urgent relief.
Eat Garlic
Garlic can successfully eliminate the bacteria that can cause dental plaque. In addition, garlic is also a potent pain reliever.
To get the most out of this method, you should simply eat a clove of garlic slowly. An alternative solution is to crush the clove and make a paste that you will apply to the affected area.
Try Clove Oil
Eugenol (also known as clove oil) is a natural anesthetic that can be found in most food stores. All that you need to do is soak a small piece of cotton in the oil. After that, wrap a piece of tissue around the cotton in order to dry the excess oil. Then simply apply the cotton to the damaged tooth.
You should hold the cotton as described for about 10 seconds.
Use OTC Medications
Over-the-counter (OTC) medications are advised if your pain isn’t decreasing for a long period of time. You can use pain-relief medication such as Advil, Motrin, or Tylenol.
Before taking OTC medications, make sure that they are safe to be used with other medications in case you are taking any on a regular basis.
Avoid Certain Foods
If your tooth’s nerve is exposed, you have to avoid eating and drinking everything from the following list as it can damage the tooth further:
- Alcohol
- Coffee
- Acidic soda
- Cold drinks
- Fruits with seeds
- Sugar-laden foods
- Nuts
- Celery
- Gum
- Candy
Avoid eating anything that can put pressure on the teeth. Instead, you can eat soup, roasted vegetables, smoothies, and other soft foods. Also, remember to avoid eating on the side of your broken tooth as much as you can.
How to Avoid Breaking Your Tooth
Once you go through the pain of a broken tooth, you never want to experience that again. That’s why you need to be familiar with some of the most common causes that lead to broken teeth so you can avoid them. These include:
- Biting into hard food (such as nuts, etc.)
- Biting hard objects
- Sports accidents (you might want to consider using mouth-guards)
- Clenching of the teeth
The Final Verdict
The best outfit you can wear is your smile. With that being said, you need to take good care of your teeth and prevent complications. This article provided you with the information you need to do so.
Although you now know how to stop a toothache from a broken tooth, visiting your dentist is still mandatory. Broken teeth must not be left untreated as they can create other, more serious problems.
References:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28914244
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4590084
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