Cracked a Crown? Here's What You Need to Do Right Away
When you bite down on a hard nut or sticky sweet and feel a dental crown break, don't panic. With the right dental treatment, you can get your crown repaired so you can go back to eating all your favourite foods without pain. Here are some steps to take right away to protect your teeth and overall oral health when you break a crown.
1. Remove the Crown
First of all, spit the crown into your hand or onto a surface. Try to gather together all the broken pieces. Rinse your mouth and spit the water out to ensure you don't swallow any tiny fragments. Keep the crown, especially if it is still in one piece, as it might be possible for a dentist to reattach it, which will help to speed up the repair.
2. Stop Any Bleeding
Sometimes, dental crowns splinter into sharp fragments that can scratch the cheeks, gums or tongue. As the mouth has a very good blood supply, these small scratches can bleed a lot. However, the bleeding should soon stop if you press a gauze pad against the injured part of your mouth. If the bleeding continues for more than a few minutes, seek medical help right away.
3. Schedule a Repair
It is important to get a broken dental crown repaired as soon as possible. With the crown not in place, bacteria can enter the tooth and cause decay. Call an emergency dental clinic to find out when they can fit you in for a repair.
4. Use the Right Pain Relief
Do not use aspirin for pain associated with a cracked dental crown. Aspirin increases bleeding, which could be a problem when your dentist fits a new dental crown. You can safely take paracetamol or ibuprofen.
5. Use Cold for Pain Relief
A natural option for relieving the pain caused by breaking a dental crown is to use an ice pack. Wrap ice cubes or frozen vegetables in a clean towel to make a cold compress that you can press against your face. Be sure to not let the ice come into direct contact with your skin, as prolonged contact with extreme cold can damage your skin.
6. Avoid Aggravating the Damaged Tooth
While you wait for your dental crown to be repaired, eat only soft foods such as soups and stews. Allow your food to cool slightly before you eat it, as heat can make the pain of a broken crown worse.
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