Caring for a cracked tooth

Teeth might fracture or break for a number of reasons, including:

• Accident or injury
• Tooth decay
• Chewing on hard foods (such as ice or candy)
• Grinding your teeth
• Loss of stability due to large fillings or wear

A fractured or cracked tooth might or might not hurt, depending on nerve exposure. Either way, here is how to take care of your broken tooth until you can see a dentist:

1. Rinse your mouth with warm water to clean the area surrounding the affected tooth.
2. Apply a cold compress to reduce swelling.
3. Contact a dentist immediately. You can find a TRICARE Dental Program (TDP) dentist with United Concordia’s online dental network provider-search tool.

The TRICARE Dental Program (TDP) has you covered

You can learn about your TDP benefits here. Read more about the importance of oral care by accessing TDP’s oral care pamphlets.