Do You Have a Cracked Tooth?

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If you are one to grind your teeth while you sleep, or chew on ice, nuts , or hard candy, then you are more likely to experience a cracked tooth. Often the only symptoms that you will experience are similar to a cavity, such as: sensitivy to hot/cold, or pain around the tooth when you chew. The tooth may hurt because the pressure of the biting causes the crack to open exposing the inside of the tooth. Then the nerve inside the tooth emits a pain signal to your brain that something is wrong with your tooth. When you stop biting, the pressure is released and the sharp pain subsides as the crack quickly closes. Dr. McCargar says that often the diagnosis of a cracked tooth is made with the aid of an X-ray, and treatment depends on the severity of the crack.