A bite of popcorn, a tumble off the bike, a tooth that just gave way on a Tuesday afternoon — chipped and cracked teeth happen, and they almost always feel scarier in the moment than they need to. Here's what to do first, and how to read the urgency.
In the first few minutes
- Rinse your mouth gently with warm water to clear any small fragments.
- Save any pieces you find. Pop them in a small container with milk or saliva — sometimes we can use them.
- Apply gentle pressure with clean gauze if there's bleeding from the gum.
- Use a cold compress on the outside of your cheek if you have swelling or pain.
- Cover sharp edges with a piece of sugar-free gum or dental wax if the tooth is rough enough to cut your tongue or cheek.
- An over-the-counter pain reliever you normally take is reasonable if there's discomfort.
How urgent is it?
Use this rough guide:
- Call us today (or right now) if there's significant pain, bleeding that won't slow, a tooth that's loose, a visible pink or red center inside the tooth, or pain when you breathe in cold air.
- Call us within a day or two if the chip is small, doesn't hurt, and isn't sharp — but don't ignore it. Even small chips can let bacteria sneak into the tooth.
- Call right away if a tooth was knocked completely out. Pick it up by the crown (not the root), gently rinse it, slip it back into the socket if you can, or store it in milk and head straight in.
How we typically fix it
It depends on what's broken and how deep:
- Small chips can often be smoothed or built back up with tooth-colored bonding in a single visit.
- Larger fractures usually call for a crown, which covers and protects the tooth.
- Cracks that reach the nerve may need a root canal first, then a crown to seal everything in.
- Severely broken teeth that can't be saved may need to come out — and we'll talk through replacement options (bridge, implant, partial) honestly, on your timeline.
Why not "wait and see"
Cracks tend to get worse, not better. Even a tooth that doesn't hurt yet can flare up unexpectedly, and a small fix today is almost always simpler and cheaper than a big fix later.
Quick care, no judgment
If you've cracked or chipped a tooth, give our Keene office a call and we'll fit you in. We hold same-day time for situations exactly like this.