Chipped, broken or cracked tooth

Chipping, breaking or cracking a tooth is usually not serious. A dentist should be able to treat it.

See a dentist if you or your child has:

• chipped, cracked or broken a tooth

If a piece of tooth has broken off, put it in milk or saliva (by spitting into a container if it's your tooth, or having your child spit into a container if it's theirs) and take it to a dentist. The dentist may be able to glue the piece of tooth back on.

Do not go to a GP. They will not be able to give you dental treatment.

What the dentist will do

Treatments for a chipped, broken or cracked tooth may include:

• gluing the fragment of tooth back on
• a filling or a crown (a cap that completely covers the broken tooth)
• root canal treatment for a badly broken tooth where the nerves are exposed

Read more about dental treatments