Broken or Cracked Tooth: What to Do Right Now
Updated 2026-11-02 · General information, not medical advice.
Teeth can break from biting hard food, sports, or old fillings. How urgent it is depends on pain and how deep the break goes.
Immediate steps
- Rinse your mouth with warm water.
- Save any pieces in milk or a clean container.
- Apply gauze if bleeding, and a cold compress for swelling.
- Cover sharp edges with sugar-free gum or dental wax.
How urgent?
- Small chip, no pain: book within a few days.
- Crack with pain when biting: within 24 hours.
- Large break, exposed pink/red center, or bleeding: same day.
Look up same-day dentists in Charlotte, Raleigh, Durham, Greensboro, Wilmington, Greenville, Columbia or Charleston.
This article is for general information only and does not replace advice from a licensed dentist or doctor.