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A broken or cracked tooth may cause a very painful toothache, especially if the inner pulp of the tooth is exposed. That’s where the tooth’s blood vessels, nerve, and connective tissues are, and if that area becomes inflamed or infected, the pain can be excruciating.

While any damaged tooth needs to be seen and treated by a dentist, you can try some solutions for temporary pain relief while you wait to be seen.

You need to see your dentist as soon as possible in order to prevent further damage from occurring to the tooth and gum tissues. Don’t delay in calling for an appointment; many dentists leave slots on their schedule open for emergencies such as this.

While you’re waiting, gently bite down on a fresh piece of gauze. If only part of the tooth has broken off, you may wish to collect the broken piece (if possible) and take it with you when you see the dentist. Even though he or she won’t be able to use the broken piece to restore your tooth, the dentist may want to see if the piece that broke was enamel or part of a filling.

If you have a broken or cracked tooth and are unable to see your dentist immediately, do what you can to keep pain from worsening. Note that these are temporary measures because only a dentist or orthodontist can repair a damaged dental nerve.

Stay away from the following:

• Foods and beverages that are very cold or very hot: Since the dentin layer of the tooth (the tissue that lies underneath the outer enamel layer and surrounds the pulp) has likely been exposed by the crack or break in the tooth, extremes in temperature may cause pain.
• Foods and beverages that are very high in sugar or are very acidic, as they may irritate the nerve in the tooth

While these temporary remedies may not work (or work as you might like them to) in every situation, they may provide you the relief you need to make the time until your appointment more tolerable:

• Use an over-the-counter (OTC) pain-relief medication like Motrin or Advil (ibuprofen) or Tylenol (acetaminophen). Be sure these are safe to use with any other medications you may be taking. You’ll probably want to avoid aspirin, which can slow blood clotting and cause problems if and when you need a root canal.
• Floss between the teeth that are cracked or broken. Removing food particles and plaque, the sticky film that coats the teeth and contains bacteria may reduce pain. Be careful not to poke too deeply around the affected tooth.
• Use oil of cloves (eugenol), which can be found in most health food stores. A natural anesthetic, it’s been used in dentistry for over a century. Soak a small piece of cotton in the oil, then blot the cotton on a piece of tissue to remove the excess. Hold the cotton on the painful tooth for 10 seconds, making sure you don’t swallow any of the oil.
• Try an OTC dental anesthetic like Orajel (benzocaine) or Anbesol (lidocaine), which you can find at most pharmacies. Or you can seal the affected tooth with an OTC temporary filling material (Dentemp).
• Sleep with your head elevated. The inflammation of the nerve associated with a cracked tooth is very painful and is often what causes the most uncomfortable pain. Elevating your head when resting may ease some of the pressure in the area of a toothache.
• Rinse with warm salt water two to three times a day. Salt water works as an antiseptic to remove bacteria from the infected area.

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