Signs of a Fractured Tooth

Your durable teeth are designed to withstand grinding, biting, and tearing your food without issue. However, accidents can happen even with diligent oral health care that may result in breaking a tooth.

Cracking, chipping, or fracturing a tooth might disrupt your smile’s appearance. But the breakage also creates a vulnerable spot in your tooth where bacteria can enter and cause serious dental problems.

You will need to visit your dentist as soon as you can if you suspect that you fractured a tooth.  They will evaluate the extent of the damage and provide appropriate restoration to the structure, health, function, and aesthetics of the tooth.

You can feel more inclined to seek urgent care for this dental injury when you can recognize the issue. Read on to learn about three symptoms you could notice if you suffer a fracture in one or more of your teeth.

Visible Tooth Breakage

If you break a tooth, you likely imagine a visible crack or other form of breakage within the tooth’s surface. This can happen, and you might see a chip or crack on the damaged tooth. It can deepen over time if you do not seek treatment for this dental injury.

Some people may also see discoloration near the injury. You could see dark spots near the breakage in the event of a dental fracture. The tooth color might also become dull or grey if you suffer internal damage to the blood vessels within the tooth’s pulp.

The gums around the tooth might also appear red and inflamed in the event of a dental fracture, especially if you develop an infection relating to this injury. If you notice changes in your smile’s appearance, do not ignore the symptom. Call your dentist about this dental emergency right away to avoid further complications.

Oral Pain

One of the most common indicators that you have a dental fracture is oral pain near the damaged tooth. Tooth pain of any kind is abnormal, but pain stemming from a broken tooth might vary. Severe, stabbing pain can be a clear sign of a problem that warrants prompt dental attention.

However, you might also experience a duller ache in the event of a fractured tooth. This pain should also not be ignored. Many people may also feel tooth sensitivity in the wake of tooth breakage due to exposed nerves in the inner layers of the tooth. Tell your dentist about these symptoms to receive an urgent evaluation and treatment.

Facial Swelling

If you suffer a dental fracture, your body will work to attempt to repair this damage, especially if you suffer deeper tissue damage. As a result, you can see inflammation and irritation in the area around the tooth.

You might even see swelling that is visible on the exterior of your face. You will require treatment from a dentist to fix a broken tooth, so do not delay contacting a dentist to restore the damaged tooth.