Teeth are stronger than you may think.  Did you know that your teeth can withstand thousands of pounds of pressure?!  Although teeth are amazingly strong, they are not un-breakable.  Teeth can break as a result of trauma such as from a blow to the face or biting down on something hard.  Children are especially susceptible to breaking teeth because of rambunctious play that can lead to hitting teeth on anything from the flagpole to the driveway.  Of course, failure to take care of your teeth can also make them more prone to break.  Not brushing and eating properly will weaken teeth.  Week teeth are more susceptible to decay and decay eats away at teeth.

When you break a tooth it is most likely going to be obvious to you.  Many people can feel the loose part of tooth in their mouth.  Others who do not feel the piece of tooth that has broken off will likely feel pain, sensitivity to air and foods and swelling.   Many times the nerve under the tooth is damaged from the trauma and a damaged nerve can be very painful.

Because there is no at-home remedy for a broken tooth you must see a dentist as soon as possible.  Remember that pain serves as a warning sign that the well-being of your body has been compromised.  Pain also serves as a warning that the body has received damage of some king and ignoring that pain can lead to more serious problems such as infection and permanent damage.  

While you prepare to see your dentist regarding your broken tooth, keep the following instruction in mind:

1.    Save the tooth and any pieces - Depending on the extent of the break, your dentist may be able to cement or bond back on the piece of tooth that had been broken off.  Although this solution is often temporary it can lessen your symptoms until a more permanent solution can be found.
2.    Rinse your mouth - use warm water to rinse your mouth out.  Make sure that you are saving any tooth pieces.  Once you have cleaned out your mouth, carefully clean the pieces of the broken tooth.
3.    If you are bleeding from the area that has the broken tooth, use gauze to contain the bleeding.  Usually the bleeding will stop in about 10 minutes.  If you continue to bleed your situation may be more serious and you should seek emergency medical attention.
4.    Reduce swelling - applying a cold compress or ice wrapped in a towel over the area covering the tooth (the check or the lips).  The cold will reduce swelling and temporarily numb the pain.
5.    Temporary cement - if your dentist cannot see you right away and you do not think that your situation is an emergency, there are dental cements that you can purchase to temporarily protect the broken area of the tooth.  These dental cements are usually available in the pharmacy section of your store.
6.    Pain reliever - Feel free to take an over-the-counter pain reliever such as ibuprofen or Advil.  Some advise against taking an aspirin because aspirin is designed to thin the blood and therefore could make any bleeding that you are having much harder to control.  

If you receive a minor chip to your tooth there is no need to panic.  Most chipped teeth can be repaired and there is little likelihood that you will look your entire tooth as a result of a chip.  

Remember that seeing your dentist as soon as possible is going to be the best solution for solving any broken tooth problems.  Your dentist can need to determine possible threats to your oral health such as if the break was caused by decay and if the nerve is in danger.

Adults with a damaged nerve usually will require root canal treatment.  Children have more positive prospects when it comes to saving the root and a dentist could fix the problem entirely if seen immediately.

There are all types of injuries and aches and pains that can occur within the mouth. Sometimes these emergencies result in unbearable pain, some of them are injuries to the gums, or other times a tooth or temporary gets knocked out or broken. It's important to not let dental emergencies go untreated, as they can result in more serious or permanent damage.

If you encounter a dental emergency, you should call your dentist immediately. Many dental offices have slots set aside for emergencies, or they can bump other patients to treat you. If your emergency occurs outside of hours, look in your phone book for emergency dental care. These places are generally much more expensive, but insurance usually covers a portion.

While you're awaiting treatment, the following are some common dental emergencies and how to treat them until your dentist can see you:

Broken or cracked tooth
If you break or crack your tooth, you should call your dentist immediately. In fact, you should contact your dentist or go to an emergency dental center within 30 minutes in order to maximize your chances of saving your broken tooth. In the meantime, however, rinse your mouth out with warm water to clean blood and debris from the area. If the jaw is swelling, you can apply a cold compresses on the area to keep the swelling under control.

Broken jaw
If you think you've broken your jaw, you should go to the hospital or your dentist immediately (if teeth are missing). In the meantime, a cold compresses can help to alleviate swelling.

Knocked-out tooth
If you have knocked your tooth out, hold the tooth by the crown and rinse off the root of the tooth in water if it's dirty. (You may want to make sure the drain is stopped as well so it doesn't go down.) Don't scrub the tooth and leave all the tissue fragments attached to the root. If you can, gently put your tooth in its socket and hold it there. If that isn't possible, put the tooth in a cup of milk and get to the dentist as soon as you can.

Something stuck in the teeth
When you have something stuck in your teeth, first try to remove it with dental floss, being careful of the gums. Never use anything else, especially any type of sharp instrument, to remove an object stuck in your teeth. If it's still there after flossing, contact the dentist; if it remains there, it could damage your gums and teeth.

Toothache
If you have a toothache, first rinse your mouth with warm water to clean it out. Floss and brush gently in case food or some other debris is causing the pain. If the pain still persists, contact your dentist and take a pain reliever until he or she can see you.

Dental emergencies can be troublesome at best, excruciatingly painful at worst. While you wait to see your dentist or an emergency treatment center, the above tips can help manage pain.