by Malavi Sivakanesan • 9 January 2025 • 5 min read
A broken tooth occurs when a crack, chip, or fracture damages the tooth’s structure. It is most commonly caused by trauma, biting hard objects, or untreated decay. And oftentimes, it is hard to spot a broken tooth by looking at the mirror. But you might experience symptoms like a random and unexplainable toothache or notice discolouration like grey, black or yellow hues. Leaving your symptoms stranded might cause you to lose an entire tooth. Thus, noticing your symptoms early is essential and saves you from complex procedures and the loss of time and money. So, read on and know about the common and rare symptoms of a broken tooth and get it treated immediately.
Early Symptoms Of A Broken Tooth
Early symptoms of a broken tooth are subtle signs that indicate damage to the tooth structure. Here are a few early broken tooth symptoms that you need to notice:
Random Toothache
When you have a broken tooth, you might experience random toothaches. This pain occurs due to the movement of the cracks of teeth and exposed nerves. The irritation can also occur from trapped food. The discomfort may come and go, and a lot of people tend to ignore it.
Mild Pain While Chewing or Biting
This occurs when the pressure from biting causes the cracked parts of the tooth to shift. This, in turn, irritates the nerves or tissues beneath. The pain may feel intermittent and is generally triggered by harder foods or specific chewing motions.
Extreme Sensitivity
When you eat cold, hot, or sweet food, you might feel your teeth and nerves tinkling. This extreme sensitivity occurs due to the nerves inside the tooth being exposed by the cracks in the tooth.
Advanced or Severe Symptoms
If you are not paying attention to your early symptoms and opting for proper treatment, they may progress into advanced symptoms where may also lose your entire tooth. Here are a few advanced broken tooth root symptoms that you should be aware of and get immediate medical attention:
Swollen Gums
A broken tooth leads to bacterial infection. The bacteria enter the tooth through the crack and infect the soft tissues inside the tooth, known as pulp. This causes the gum swelling around broken tooth and may also result in gum diseases.
Discolouration of Tooth
You might see a blackening or yellowing of a specific tooth and wonder whether it is a result of a food stain or any serious dental problem. Well, it is due to the bacteria that entered your cracked tooth and caused visible discolouration of your teeth.
Bad Breath or Foul Taste
In some cases, a broken tooth might cause bad breath or a foul taste. This occurs due to the bacterial infection that is left untreated. They result in bad breath that might stay persistent even after brushing or using mouth fresheners.
Loose Tooth
A tooth becomes loose or wobbly when the structural integrity of its root or the supporting tissues, like the periodontal ligament, is compromised. This issue can arise as a rare but serious consequence of a cracked or broken tooth. In such cases, if the damage is extensive and the tooth cannot be saved, it might require extraction and replacement with dental implants.
The good news is that modern advancements in dentistry now offer single-day dental implants, which allow you to get fixed teeth in a day. This procedure provides a durable and natural-looking solution, restoring both function and aesthetics quickly and efficiently.
Why Shouldn’t Symptoms Be Ignored?
A broken tooth can be the smallest crack, chip, or split but may progress into severe conditions if left untreated. It may even result in sharp pain, gum diseases, or complete tooth decay.
So, if you have caught an early symptom or any advanced signs, reach out to Complete Smiles immediately for proper treatment. They specialise in all types of dental care and can guide you through every step of the procedure.
Malavi Sivakanesan
Malavi Sivakanesan is the principal dentist and co-founder at Complete Smiles in Harrow, Greater London. She is responsible for establishing the Complete Smiles brand throughout the United Kingdom and Europe and has 5 successful practices under her strong leadership.