A broken tooth with an exposed nerve can cause intense pain and sensitivity, and it’s something you shouldn’t ignore.
When people talk about an “exposed tooth nerve,” they’re usually referring to exposure or damage to the dental pulp. The pulp is the soft tissue inside your tooth that contains nerves, blood vessels, and connective tissue. It’s normally protected by the hard outer layers of the tooth.
A deep fracture, severe tooth decay, an injury, or biting down on something hard can damage these protective layers and expose or injure the pulp. You may experience sharp pain when the tooth comes into contact with cold, heat, sweets, air, or pressure.
If you think the inside of your tooth has been exposed, home remedies can only provide temporary relief. You should have the tooth examined by a dentist as soon as possible. Prompt treatment can relieve pain, reduce the risk of complications, and improve the chances of saving the tooth.
Key Takeaways
- A broken or cracked tooth with possible pulp exposure requires prompt dental attention.
- Sharp pain, extreme sensitivity, visible damage, and pain when biting can indicate a significant tooth fracture.
- Until you see a dentist, keep the area clean, avoid chewing on the damaged tooth, and stay away from foods and drinks that trigger pain.
- Over-the-counter pain medicines such as paracetamol or ibuprofen may provide temporary relief when they are safe for you to take and are used according to the product directions.
- Don’t put aspirin, concentrated clove oil, alcohol, or other home remedies directly into a deeply broken tooth or onto exposed tissue.
- Increasing swelling, fever, pus or drainage, or a persistent bad taste in your mouth may indicate an infection and should be assessed promptly.
- Go to the nearest hospital emergency department or call 911 if you have difficulty breathing or swallowing, or if swelling is rapidly spreading through your face or neck.
- The sooner the tooth is assessed, the better the opportunity your dentist has to determine whether it can be saved.
1. How Do You Know if a Broken Tooth Has an Exposed Nerve?
It can be difficult to tell on your own whether the dental pulp is actually exposed. A tooth can be extremely sensitive without the pulp being directly visible, so a dental examination is important.
Possible signs of a serious fracture or pulp involvement include:
- Sharp or severe tooth pain
- Extreme sensitivity to hot or cold foods and drinks
- Pain when air touches the damaged tooth
- Pain when biting or chewing
- Sensitivity to sweet foods and drinks
- Throbbing or lingering pain
- A visible crack, hole, or missing portion of the tooth
- Swelling or tenderness around the tooth or gums
You may sometimes notice pink or reddish tissue in the center of a deeply broken tooth. However, don’t poke, probe, or repeatedly touch the area to find out whether the pulp is exposed.
Also, a lack of severe pain doesn’t necessarily mean the tooth is fine. The pulp may be significantly damaged or may no longer respond normally, so a badly broken tooth should still be evaluated even if the pain decreases or disappears.
Your dentist can examine the tooth and, when necessary, use dental X-rays and other tests to determine how deeply it has been damaged.
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2. What Should You Do Immediately?
If you’ve broken or cracked a tooth and think the pulp may be exposed, your priority should be protecting the area until you can see a dentist.
Rinse Your Mouth Gently
Rinse your mouth gently with warm water or warm saltwater to help remove food particles and keep the area clean.
Don’t aggressively swish, scrub, or repeatedly poke the damaged tooth.
A saltwater rinse may help keep the area clean, but it doesn’t repair the tooth or treat an infection inside it.
Use a Cold Compress
If you have swelling following an injury, place a cold compress against the outside of your cheek for short periods.
Don’t put ice directly against the tooth, gums, or skin.
Avoid Chewing on the Damaged Tooth
Use the opposite side of your mouth when eating. Biting down on a weakened tooth may increase pain or cause the fracture to worsen.
Choose Soft Foods
Choose foods that require minimal chewing until the tooth can be treated.
Avoid very hard, crunchy, or sticky foods. You may also want to avoid very hot, cold, or sweet foods and drinks if they trigger pain or sensitivity.
Protect Sharp Edges
A broken tooth can leave a sharp edge that irritates or cuts your tongue, cheek, or lips.
Dental wax can temporarily cover a sharp edge. Sugar-free chewing gum may also be used as a short-term alternative, but don’t push it deep inside the broken tooth.
Save Any Broken Pieces
If a piece of your tooth has broken off, keep it if you can find it and bring it with you to your dental appointment.
Don’t scrub the fragment, try to reshape it, or attempt to glue it back onto your tooth yourself. Your dentist can determine whether the fragment may be useful during treatment.
These measures may help protect the tooth and make you more comfortable, but they are only temporary measures and cannot repair the damage.
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3. How Can You Manage the Pain Until You See a Dentist?
Over-the-counter pain relievers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen may provide temporary relief when they are appropriate and safe for you to take.
Always follow the dosage and precautions on the product label, and don’t exceed the recommended dose.
Certain medicines aren’t suitable for everyone because of medical conditions, allergies, pregnancy, interactions with other medicines, or other individual factors. If you’re unsure which pain reliever is appropriate for you, ask your dentist, physician, or pharmacist.
When purchasing medicine in the Philippines, obtain it from a legitimate pharmacy or authorized retailer.
It’s also helpful to identify what triggers the pain. If cold drinks, sweets, or chewing cause sudden pain, avoid those triggers until you’ve received dental treatment.
Most importantly, don’t use temporary pain relief as a reason to postpone seeing a dentist. The pain may improve even though the underlying fracture or pulp damage remains.
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4. What Should You NOT Put on an Exposed Tooth Nerve?
When a tooth hurts badly, it’s understandable to look for something you can put directly on it for immediate relief. However, some home remedies can irritate or damage the surrounding tissues without treating the underlying problem.
Avoid:
- Putting aspirin directly on the tooth or gums
- Applying concentrated clove oil directly to exposed pulp or damaged oral tissue
- Pouring alcohol or other harsh substances into the broken tooth
- Poking or probing inside the damaged tooth
- Trying to pull off pieces that are still attached
- Using household glue to reattach a broken piece
- Attempting to repair a deep fracture yourself
Although clove-derived substances such as eugenol have applications in professional dentistry, concentrated clove oil and other home remedies shouldn’t be placed directly into a deeply broken tooth or onto exposed tissue without professional guidance.
These remedies cannot rebuild the tooth, seal an exposed pulp, or treat significant damage inside the tooth.
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5. When Does a Broken Tooth Need Emergency Care?
A broken or cracked tooth should be assessed promptly, particularly when you have severe pain or symptoms suggesting that the pulp may be involved.
Contact a dentist promptly if you have:
- Severe or persistent tooth pain
- Significant sensitivity that doesn’t go away
- Pain when biting or chewing
- A deeply cracked or broken tooth
- Increasing swelling around the tooth, gums, or jaw
- Fever associated with dental pain or swelling
- Pus or drainage
- A persistent bad taste associated with the affected area
- Bleeding that is heavy or doesn’t stop with gentle pressure
These symptoms may indicate significant dental injury, inflammation, or infection.
When to Seek Emergency Medical Attention
Some symptoms require more than an ordinary dental appointment.
Go to the nearest hospital emergency department or call 911 in the Philippines if you develop:
- Difficulty breathing
- Difficulty swallowing
- Rapidly increasing or spreading swelling of the face or neck
A dental infection can sometimes spread beyond the tooth and surrounding tissues. Breathing or swallowing difficulties and rapidly spreading swelling shouldn’t be ignored.
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6. How Will a Dentist Treat a Broken Tooth With an Exposed Nerve?
Treatment depends on the type and extent of the fracture, whether the pulp is exposed or damaged, whether infection is present, the condition of the tissues supporting the tooth, and how much healthy tooth structure remains.
Your dentist will examine the tooth and may take dental X-rays or perform other tests before recommending treatment.
Depending on what your dentist finds, treatment may include:
Restorative Treatment
Smaller fractures that haven’t severely damaged the pulp may sometimes be repaired using appropriate restorative materials.
However, if the pulp is truly exposed or significantly damaged, treatment is generally more involved than simply repairing a small chip.
Dental Crown
A crown may be recommended to cover and protect a significantly damaged tooth when enough healthy tooth structure remains.
Depending on the condition of the pulp, additional treatment may be required before the crown is placed.
Root Canal Treatment
If the pulp is irreversibly damaged or infected but the tooth can still be restored, root canal treatment may be recommended.
During root canal treatment, the damaged or infected pulp is removed, the inside of the tooth is cleaned and sealed, and the tooth is restored. Depending on the tooth and the amount of remaining structure, a crown or another restoration may then be recommended to help protect it.
Tooth Extraction
If the fracture extends too deeply, the tooth cannot be predictably restored, or there isn’t enough healthy tooth structure remaining, extraction may be necessary.
If a tooth needs to be removed, your dentist can discuss whether replacement is appropriate. Depending on your individual situation, possible options may include a dental implant, bridge, or removable dental prosthesis.
The goal isn’t automatically to perform a root canal or extract the tooth. Your dentist will determine which treatment offers the most appropriate and realistic outcome based on the condition of your tooth.
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7. Can a Broken Tooth With an Exposed Nerve Be Saved?
Sometimes, yes.
Whether a broken tooth can be saved depends on several factors, including:
- The location and extent of the fracture
- How much healthy tooth structure remains
- Whether the dental pulp is damaged or infected
- The condition of the tissues supporting the tooth
- Whether the tooth can be predictably restored
That’s one reason you shouldn’t delay treatment. Continuing to bite and chew on a weakened tooth may cause additional damage, while untreated pulp problems can become more complicated over time.
Even if your pain suddenly improves, don’t assume the tooth has healed.
A significantly broken tooth cannot rebuild its missing structure on its own, and reduced pain doesn’t necessarily mean the underlying problem has resolved.
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8. What Happens if You Leave a Broken Tooth Untreated?
Ignoring a badly broken tooth may allow the problem to become more complicated.
Depending on the type and extent of the injury, untreated pulp damage can potentially lead to inflammation, infection, an abscess, worsening pain, or eventual loss of the tooth.
An untreated infection can also spread into surrounding tissues and, in serious cases, become a medical emergency.
Waiting may also reduce the treatment options available if the weakened tooth continues to fracture.
So, while rinsing, eating soft foods, using a cold compress, and taking an appropriate over-the-counter pain reliever may help temporarily, these should be considered short-term measures until you can receive professional dental care.
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9. What Happens After Treatment?
What happens afterward depends on the treatment you’ve received.
Your dentist may recommend a follow-up appointment to check healing, complete a permanent restoration, evaluate a crown or filling, or make sure there are no signs of continuing infection or other complications.
Follow the aftercare instructions you’re given.
Contact your dentist if you develop new or worsening pain, swelling, fever, drainage, bleeding, or other unexpected symptoms after treatment.
Good follow-up care helps protect both the treated tooth and your overall oral health.
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10. How Can You Prevent Another Broken Tooth?
Not every broken tooth is preventable, especially when an accident or unexpected injury is involved. However, there are several things you can do to reduce your risk.
Brush your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, clean between your teeth regularly, and have routine dental checkups as recommended by your dentist.
Treating tooth decay and weakened teeth before they become more extensive can also reduce the risk of significant fractures.
Avoid chewing hard objects such as ice, pens, and other non-food items. Be cautious with very hard foods that could damage a weakened tooth.
If you play contact sports or participate in activities where your mouth could be injured, ask your dentist about an appropriate mouthguard.
If you grind or clench your teeth, particularly while sleeping, discuss it with your dentist. Depending on the cause and condition of your teeth, a custom night guard or another treatment may be appropriate.
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Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is a broken tooth with an exposed nerve a dental emergency?
A broken tooth with suspected pulp exposure requires prompt dental evaluation, particularly if you have severe pain, significant sensitivity, swelling, or signs of infection.
If you develop difficulty breathing or swallowing or rapidly spreading swelling of your face or neck, go to the nearest hospital emergency department or call 911 in the Philippines.
2. How painful is an exposed tooth nerve?
Pulp involvement can cause sharp, severe, throbbing, or lingering pain. Cold, heat, sweets, air, chewing, and pressure may trigger symptoms.
However, the amount of pain doesn’t always tell you how badly the tooth is damaged. A seriously damaged tooth may sometimes become less painful if the pulp is no longer responding normally.
3. Can an exposed tooth nerve heal on its own?
A significantly fractured tooth cannot rebuild its missing structure on its own.
What happens to the pulp depends on the extent of the injury. A dentist needs to examine the tooth to determine whether the pulp can recover or whether treatment such as root canal therapy or another procedure is necessary.
4. Can I put clove oil on an exposed tooth nerve?
Avoid putting concentrated clove oil or other home remedies directly into a deeply broken tooth or onto exposed tissue.
These substances may irritate oral tissues and won’t repair the underlying damage. If you’re in pain, ask your dentist or pharmacist about an appropriate pain-relief option until you can be examined.
5. Can I put aspirin directly on the broken tooth?
No. Don’t place aspirin directly against the tooth or gums because it can irritate or damage oral tissues.
If an over-the-counter pain reliever is appropriate for you, take it according to the product directions rather than placing it directly on the tooth.
6. Will I need a root canal?
Not necessarily.
Whether you need root canal treatment depends on the type and extent of the fracture and the condition of the dental pulp. Your dentist needs to examine the tooth before determining the appropriate treatment.
7. Does a broken tooth always need to be extracted?
No. Many broken teeth can be restored.
Extraction may be necessary when the fracture is too extensive for the tooth to be predictably restored or when other clinical factors make saving the tooth unsuitable.
8. What if the pain suddenly disappears?
You should still have the tooth examined.
Reduced or disappearing pain doesn’t necessarily mean the tooth has healed. The pulp may have become less responsive while the underlying fracture, inflammation, or infection remains.
9. What if part of my tooth breaks off?
If you can find the broken piece, keep it and bring it with you to your dental appointment.
Don’t scrub it, glue it back onto your tooth, or attempt to repair the tooth yourself. Your dentist can examine the fragment and determine whether it may be useful during treatment.
10. How quickly should I see a dentist?
If you have a significantly broken tooth or suspect that the pulp is exposed, arrange a dental evaluation as soon as possible.
Don’t wait until the pain becomes unbearable. Your dentist can determine how urgent the problem is based on your symptoms, examination, and the extent of the damage.
Have a Broken or Painful Tooth?
If you’ve broken or cracked a tooth or are experiencing significant tooth pain, Tan-Mencias Dental Clinic in Parang, Marikina City can examine the affected tooth and discuss treatment options appropriate for your situation.
Our team provides care for routine dental concerns as well as urgent dental problems. We’ll explain what we find and discuss the available treatment options so you can make an informed decision about your dental care.
To schedule a dental consultation, call 0917-145-1074, send us a message through our Facebook page, or contact us through our website’s contact form.
Getting a damaged tooth checked early may help relieve discomfort, prevent the problem from becoming more complicated, and give your dentist the best opportunity to preserve the tooth whenever possible.
Dental and Medical Disclaimer
This article provides general dental-health information for educational purposes and is not a substitute for an examination, diagnosis, or treatment by a licensed dentist, physician, or other qualified healthcare professional.
The appropriate treatment for a broken tooth depends on the type and extent of the fracture, the condition of the dental pulp and surrounding tissues, your symptoms, medical history, and findings during a dental examination.
If you have a broken tooth, severe dental pain, swelling, signs of infection, or another urgent dental problem, contact a qualified dentist or healthcare professional for an appropriate evaluation.
If you have difficulty breathing or swallowing or rapidly spreading swelling involving your face or neck, go to the nearest hospital emergency department or call 911 in the Philippines.
Don’t start, stop, or change medications or dental treatments solely on the basis of information in this article. Always follow the advice of your dentist, physician, pharmacist, or other qualified healthcare professional.