Cracked Tooth
A crack in a tooth may appear as a tiny hairline fracture, usually running from the top to the bottom of the tooth. Sometimes these cracks are invisible to the naked eye and often do not show up on X-rays. It may be hard to tell which tooth hurts or whether the pain is coming from a top or bottom tooth.
Suspect a crack if:
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- You feel sharp pain when you bite down or chew.
- You cannot eat certain foods or can only chew on one side of your mouth.
- Your tooth is very sensitive to hot or cold.
A cracked tooth may be caused by a mouth injury or loss of tooth structure from a large area of decay (cavity) or filling. Chewing on hard objects-such as nuts, hard candy, or foreign objects in food-or temperature extremes, such as when you eat hot foods and then chew on ice cubes, can also cause a cracked tooth. Other causes of a cracked tooth include teeth grinding or uneven chewing pressures.
Deep cracks can cause inflammation, infection, or death of the tooth. Prompt dental care may prevent these problems.
WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise
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Only 18.5% of Americans never floss. You are missing out on a simple way to make a big difference in the health of your mouth. Regardless of how well you brush, plaque still forms between your teeth and along your gums. Floss removes food trapped between the teeth and removes the film of bacteria that forms there before it turns to plaque, which can cause inflamed gums (gingivitis), cavities, and tooth loss. Try flossing just one tooth to get started.
You are one of 31% of Americans who don't floss daily. You are missing out on a simple way to make a big difference in the health of your mouth. Regardless of how well you brush, plaque still forms between your teeth and along your gums. Toothbrush bristles alone cannot clean effectively between these tight spaces. Flossing removes up to 80% of the film that hardens to plaque, which can cause inflamed gums (gingivitis), cavities, and tooth loss. Aim for 3 more days!
You are one of 31% of Americans who don't floss daily, but you're well on your way to making a positive impact on your teeth and gums. Regardless of how well you brush, plaque still forms between your teeth and along your gums. Toothbrush bristles alone cannot clean effectively between these tight spaces. Flossing removes up to 80% of the film that hardens to plaque, which can cause inflamed gums (gingivitis), cavities, and tooth loss. Aim for all 7 days!
Only 50.5% of Americans floss daily, and good for you that you are one of them! Regardless of how well you brush, plaque still forms between your teeth and along your gums. Toothbrush bristles alone cannot clean effectively between these tight spaces. Flossing removes up to 80% of the film that hardens to plaque, which can cause inflamed gums (gingivitis), cavities, and tooth loss. Congratulations on your good oral health habit!
SOURCES:
American Dental Association, Healthy People 2010
This tool is intended only for adults 18 and older.
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