14 Jun Are you feeling sudden pain when you chew or bite down?

Are you feeling sudden pain when you chew or bite down? Or erratic pain when your teeth are exposed to hot and cold temperatures? If so, you may have a cracked tooth! 

If left untreated, cracked teeth have the potential to cause excruciating pain and severe damage, making this a serious dental emergency that should be addressed immediately.

Cracked tooth syndrome is a term used to describe a crack or fracture in the tooth. This can occur due to various factors, including but not limited to: 

Teeth grinding or clenching

Biting down on something hard

Uneven bite patterns

Large Amalgam fillings 

Physical trauma to the face, eg sports injury, falls, a blow to the face

Habits such as chewing gum and fingernails 

The most common symptoms of a crack tooth include:

Sensitivity to extreme temperatures, both hot and cold

Sensitivity when eating something sweet

Pain that comes and goes when chewing

An unprovoked toothache

Swelling around the tooth

Why does it hurt so much? 

The tooth’s structure is composed of a hard outer layer of enamel, an inner hard layer of dentin and an inner soft layer called the pulp. The pulp houses the tooth’s nerves and blood vessels. When the hard layers are cracked, chewing can cause movements of these pieces causing great irritation to the pulp. Overtime this may lead to the pulp becoming permanently damaged and to a point it can no longer heal. This can consequently cause infection of the pulp, which can spread to the surrounding bone and gum. A crack can also provide direct entry for bacteria to enter the tooth, leading to pulpal infection and eventual death. 

If you’re experiencing pain when eating or have any of the above symptoms, visit one of our friendly dentists for consultant. They will assist in diagnosing your dental concern and develop a treatment plan tailored to your needs.  

Prevention

Although cracked teeth cannot be completely prevented, it is possible to take steps to make teeth less susceptible to cracking.

To minimize the risk of cracked teeth, Dr Patel recommends to:

• Exercise caution when eating unpitted olives, cherries or seeded bread.

• Avoid chewing hard objects such as fingernails, pen tops and other habits.

• Avoid clenching or grinding their teeth.

• Use retainers or mouthguards to protect their teeth during sleep.

• Wear a mouthguard or face shield during sports.

• Reduce or avoid if possible psychological stress that increases clenching or grinding of teeth.

• Undergo evaluation and correction of occlusal interference.

• Attend regular dental appointments to allow for the examination of occlusal and contact points regularly

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*The contents and advise is of a general nature only and may not apply to your specific circumstances. As every person is different, we always recommend that you visit a qualified dental practitioner to obtain tailored dental advice to suit your own specific needs.