A chipped or broken tooth is startling, even when it does not hurt. Knowing what to do for a broken tooth in the first few minutes can protect the tooth, ease discomfort and make repair easier later. In most cases a dentist can assess and treat the damage, and there are simple, safe steps you can take at home until then. At Beckenham Smiles Dental, we see patients from Beckenham, Elmers End and Eden Park with everything from small chips to teeth that have broken below the gum line. This guide covers what to do straight away, when a broken tooth is urgent and how it is usually repaired.
If the tooth broke after a serious head or facial injury, or you are bleeding heavily, struggling to breathe or have lost consciousness, call 999 or go to A&E first.
Call Beckenham Smiles Dental on 0203 805 2380 | Book your appointment online
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm. Appointments subject to availability.
The short answer
If you have a broken tooth, rinse your mouth gently with warm water, press clean gauze on any bleeding and keep any fragments in milk. Cover a sharp edge with sugar-free gum or dental wax, take pain relief as directed and phone your dentist. Call 999 or go to A&E after a serious head or facial injury.
What to do for a broken tooth: first aid steps
These steps are temporary. They help you stay comfortable and protect the tooth until a dentist can examine it.
- Check for a serious injury. If you hit your head, lost consciousness, feel confused or keep vomiting, call 999. Do the same if you cannot stop coughing or have trouble breathing, as a fragment may have been inhaled.
- Rinse gently. Use warm water to clear blood and debris. Do not scrub the tooth.
- Control any bleeding. Press a clean piece of gauze or cloth on the area for about ten minutes.
- Save the pieces. Place any fragments in a small container of milk, or keep them moist with a little saliva, and bring them with you. A dentist cannot always reattach a fragment, but it helps with assessment.
- Protect sharp edges. Sugar-free chewing gum or dental wax from a pharmacy can cover a rough edge that is cutting your tongue or cheek.
- Ease pain and swelling. Take pain relief exactly as the packet directs, and ask a pharmacist if you are unsure what suits you. A cold compress held against the outside of the cheek may reduce swelling.
- Arrange an assessment. Phone the practice, describe what happened and ask about availability.
Is a broken or chipped tooth an emergency?
It depends on how the tooth looks and feels. A small chip with no pain can usually wait for a prompt appointment, but a broken tooth that is painful or bleeding should be seen sooner. The table shows who to contact.
| Who to contact | Situations | What to do |
| Your dentist, urgently | Severe pain, a sharp edge cutting your mouth, a large piece missing, a tooth that looks pink or red inside or has darkened, a loose tooth, swelling or a bad taste, bleeding that stops with pressure | Phone the practice in opening hours and ask about an emergency appointment |
| NHS 111 online | The practice is closed, or you are unsure how urgent it is | Use 111.nhs.uk or call 111 for advice |
| 999 or A&E | Serious head or facial injury, loss of consciousness, confusion or repeated vomiting, a suspected broken jaw, bleeding that will not stop after firm pressure, difficulty breathing or swallowing, swelling spreading towards the eye or neck | Call 999 or go to A&E straight away. Do not wait for a dental appointment |
What if it does not hurt? Lack of pain does not mean no damage. A crack or a missing piece can expose the inner part of the tooth, and a rough edge can injure your tongue. It is still worth booking an assessment, even if it is less urgent.
What if it happens out of hours? Our practice is closed on Saturday, Sunday and bank holidays. Use the first aid steps above, get advice from NHS 111 online if you are worried, and call us when we reopen. For a knocked-out tooth, which is more time-sensitive, please read our guide to [emergency dental care in Beckenham]([PILLAR PAGE URL]) rather than relying on this article.
Call Beckenham Smiles Dental on 0203 805 2380 | Book your appointment online
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm. Appointments subject to availability.
Chipped, cracked or broken: what is the difference?
- Chipped: a small piece has come off the edge or surface. It often feels rough rather than painful.
- Cracked: a line runs through the tooth but the pieces have not separated. Cracked tooth symptoms can include pain when you bite or release your bite, and sensitivity to hot or cold that comes and goes. Cracks are not always visible on an X-ray.
- Broken: a larger part of the tooth has come away, sometimes down to or below the gum line. There may be pain, bleeding or a sharp edge.
These descriptions are only a guide, and only an examination can confirm what has happened to your tooth.
How can a broken tooth be repaired?
The right repair depends on how much of the tooth is left and whether the inner part, the pulp, is affected. Your dentist will usually examine the tooth and may take an X-ray first.
- Smoothing and polishing: a very small chip with a rough edge can sometimes be smoothed.
- White filling or bonding: tooth-coloured material rebuilds a small to moderate chip. See our white fillings page, or cosmetic dentistry if you are thinking about the appearance of a front tooth.
- Temporary filling: if the tooth needs more work, a temporary filling can protect it until a permanent repair is planned.
- Crown: where a large part is missing or the tooth is weakened, a crown covers and supports what remains.
- Root canal treatment: if the damage reaches the pulp and causes pain or infection, root canal treatment may be needed, usually followed by a crown.
- Extraction: only if the tooth cannot be restored, for example if it has split below the gum line. Losing the tooth is not inevitable, and your dentist will talk through every option with you.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Using superglue or household glue to stick a piece back
- Putting aspirin on the gum or tooth, which can burn the tissue
- Filing or cutting a rough edge yourself
- Taking leftover antibiotics
- Biting hard on the tooth or chewing on that side
- Throwing the fragment away
- Ignoring it because it does not hurt
Children and broken teeth
If a child breaks a tooth, the same safety checks apply, especially after a fall or blow to the head. Call us or NHS 111 online for advice on what to do, and see our children’s dentistry page for how we care for young patients.
How much does it cost to repair a broken tooth?
At Beckenham Smiles Dental, an emergency appointment is from £85 and white fillings are from £185 to £295 for one to three surfaces. These are separate starting prices, not a total cost, and extra treatment may cost more. Other treatments you might need include:
- an intra-oral X-ray (£19 to £22)
- edge bonding (from £200 per tooth)
- root canal treatment (from £495)
- a porcelain or zirconium crown (from £845)
- an extraction (from £200)
You will be given a clear price after your examination. Current prices are listed in our fee guide.
Preventing further damage
While you wait for treatment, eat soft foods, chew on the other side and avoid very hot or cold drinks. In general, avoid chewing ice, boiled sweets or pens, and do not use your teeth to open packets. If you play contact sports, a sports mouth guard (from £200) helps protect your teeth. If you clench or grind your teeth, mention it at your appointment. Replacing worn or damaged fillings early also lowers the chance of a tooth breaking.
How to book at Beckenham Smiles Dental
- Address: 122-124 High Street, Beckenham, BR3 1EB
- Phone: 0203 805 2380
- Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm. Closed Saturday, Sunday and bank holidays
- Online: Book your appointment online
Please call during opening hours, describe what happened and confirm availability before travelling. Emergency appointments are offered subject to availability. Outside opening hours, use NHS 111 online, and call 999 for serious symptoms.
Conclusion
A broken or chipped tooth looks worse than it often is, but it is best to have it checked, even if it feels fine. Rinse gently, protect the tooth, keep any fragment and get serious injuries seen at A&E first. The team at Beckenham Smiles Dental can then examine the tooth and explain the repair options before treatment begins.
Call Beckenham Smiles Dental on 0203 805 2380 | Book your appointment online
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm. Appointments subject to availability.
Frequently asked questions
Check for serious injury first, then rinse gently, control any bleeding with pressure and keep the fragments in milk. Cover sharp edges and phone your dentist. Call 999 or go to A&E after a serious head or facial injury.
Not always. A small chip with no pain can usually wait for a prompt appointment, but pain, bleeding, a sharp edge or a large missing piece should be seen sooner. Only an examination can confirm how serious the damage is.
Often it can, using smoothing, a white filling or bonding, a crown or root canal treatment, depending on the damage. Your dentist will explain what is possible once they have examined and X-rayed the tooth.
Sugar-free chewing gum or dental wax from a pharmacy can cover a sharp edge for a short time. Do not use glue or household products. This is only a temporary measure until you can be seen.
Yes, keep it in milk and bring it along. A dentist may not be able to reattach it, but it can help with assessment. Never try to glue it back yourself.
Our practice is closed on Saturday, Sunday and bank holidays. Use NHS 111 online for advice, and call 999 or go to A&E for serious symptoms. For less urgent damage, phone us when we reopen.
No. Some cracks cause pain when biting or sensitivity to hot and cold, and others cause no symptoms at all. A dentist needs to examine the tooth to find out.
Not necessarily. Extraction is only considered when a tooth cannot be restored, and many broken teeth can be repaired. Your dentist will explain your options.
An emergency appointment is from £85, and white fillings are from £185 to £295. These are separate starting prices, and further treatment may cost more. See our fee guide for details.
