Popcorn, chips, peanuts, and even a crisp apple can all be a delicious snack. Unless you have a cracked tooth and even the thought of chomping down on any of these once desirable foods can make you shudder. As with any kind of toothache, a cracked tooth can be a miserable experience. But what should you do if you crack your tooth on the weekend when most dental offices are closed? Pain and stress of having a cracked tooth coupled with the thought of having to wait until Monday to be seen by a dentist can be excruciating. First assess whether your cracked tooth is in need of emergency dental care. Secondly, search for a dental office that offers extended hours, especially weekend hours.

What is a dental emergency?

Not all cracked teeth warrant an emergency visit to the dentist. Sometimes, a patient can be unaware they have a cracked tooth, even having absolutely no pain.

If you can determine that nothing is getting worse with time and if pain is present and is easily manageable, generally, you can make an appointment during normal office hours and wait for your appointment.

But if you are suffering from

• Constant gum bleeding
• Increasing or severe tooth pain
• A crack that is worsening
• A crack that goes down into the gumline
• A situation that makes eating and sleeping difficult to impossible

You are in need of emergency dental care. Unattending a cracked tooth in the above situations can lead to increased pain, more invasive procedures to correct the damage, or even loss of tooth.

Even if you are not in need of emergency dental care, it is still important to call to make an appointment as soon as possible. Dental problems should never be put on the back burner. What's more, the sooner you get your cracked tooth to be assessed by the dentist, the better your chances for saving the tooth.

A cracked tooth can lead to infection, a widening crack, swelling gums, and more pain. Getting an appointment with a dentist as soon as possible is the best way to ensure that you save your tooth and do not have more damage done.

Should I go to the ER?

In some cases, other injuries may accompany a cracked tooth in a more traumatic event such as a car wreck. As with any other injury, if the dental emergency is life-threatening such as:

• Swelling or infection affecting breathing
• Fractured or dislocated jaw
• Deep cuts in the mouth with uncontrollable bleeding
• Facial fractures affecting airways

If you are experiencing anything like this, please call 9-1-1 or quickly make your way to the nearest hospital.

Call

If you have a cracked tooth over the weekend and do not know whether it qualifies as a dental emergency, give your dentist a call just to ask! Sometimes, the worry and stress of knowing you have a cracked tooth and the thought of possibly losing the tooth is reason enough to call and double check if your situation warrants an emergency dental appointment.

If you live in Coralville, IA and have a cracked tooth, call Coral West Dental today! They have extended daytime hours as well as weekend hours to give you more time to see the dentist when you unexpectedly crack a tooth.