A cracked tooth hurts because the fracture exposes the sensitive inner layers of the tooth to pressure, temperature, and bacteria. The fastest way to reduce that pain at home is a combination of over-the-counter pain relievers, cold compresses, saltwater rinses, and avoiding anything that puts stress on the tooth. These steps buy you time, but a crack in a tooth won’t heal on its own, so professional treatment is what actually stops the pain for good.
Over-the-Counter Pain Relief
Ibuprofen and acetaminophen together are more effective for tooth pain than either one alone. A combination tablet containing 125 mg ibuprofen and 250 mg acetaminophen can be taken as two tablets every eight hours, up to six tablets per day. If you don’t have combination tablets, you can alternate between standard ibuprofen and acetaminophen on their own, spacing doses so you’re taking something every few hours. Never exceed 4,000 mg of acetaminophen in 24 hours.
Ibuprofen does double duty here: it reduces pain and lowers inflammation around the nerve. If the pain wakes you up at night, taking a dose right before bed helps you stay ahead of it rather than chasing it once it flares.
Cold Compress and Saltwater Rinse
Place an ice pack or bag of frozen vegetables against the outside of your cheek, with a thin cloth between the ice and your skin. Keep it there for 10 to 20 minutes at a time. This reduces swelling in the tissue around the tooth and temporarily dulls nerve signals in the area. You can repeat this several times throughout the day with breaks in between.
A warm saltwater rinse helps keep the crack clean and reduces bacterial buildup that can worsen inflammation. Mix one teaspoon of salt into eight ounces of warm water and swish gently for 30 seconds. If your mouth is already sore and the salt stings, cut the amount to half a teaspoon for the first day or two. Rinse after meals to clear out food particles that may have lodged in the crack.
Protect the Tooth With a Temporary Filling
Drugstores sell emergency dental filling kits that let you cover the crack with a soft material that hardens in place. This creates a barrier between the exposed inner tooth and everything in your mouth. To use one, start by brushing and flossing so no food debris is trapped in the crack. Roll a small amount of the material into a ball, press it into the damaged area, and use a wet cotton swab to push it into the edges of the crack. Bite down a few times and grind gently side to side until your bite feels normal. If it feels too high, remove some material and try again.
The material typically takes a few minutes to firm up and about two hours to fully set. Don’t eat or chew on that side during that window. The most common mistake is using too much material, which creates an uneven bite that makes things worse. Start with less than you think you need. These kits are a short-term fix, not a replacement for dental work.
Foods and Habits That Make It Worse
Hard and crunchy foods put direct stress on the crack and can cause pieces of the tooth to break off entirely. Avoid nuts, seeds, hard candy, popcorn, and ice. Sticky foods like caramel and taffy are equally problematic because they grip the tooth and apply uneven pulling forces as you chew.
Temperature is the other major trigger. The crack lets hot and cold liquids reach the nerve directly, which is why a sip of coffee or ice water can send a sharp jolt through the tooth. Stick to lukewarm foods and drinks until you can get treated. Try to chew on the opposite side of your mouth, and avoid biting down hard on anything with the cracked tooth.
How to Tell How Serious the Crack Is
Not all cracks are the same, and the type you have determines both how much it hurts now and what treatment you’ll need.
Craze lines are tiny, shallow cracks in the outer enamel. Almost everyone has them, and they don’t hurt. If you can see fine lines on a tooth but feel no pain, that’s likely all you’re dealing with.
A fractured cusp is a crack that forms around an existing filling. These usually cause mild discomfort rather than sharp pain. A dentist can often fix this with a new filling or a crown.
A true cracked tooth runs vertically from the biting surface toward the gum line. This is the type that causes sharp pain when you bite down and sensitivity to hot, cold, or sweet foods. If the crack hasn’t reached the root, a crown can protect the tooth and stop the pain. If it extends into the nerve, you’ll need a root canal before the crown goes on.
A vertical root fracture starts below the gum line and works upward. These can be sneaky because they sometimes cause no symptoms until the inner tissue gets infected. A split tooth, where the crack divides the tooth into two distinct pieces, usually can’t be saved entirely, though a dentist may be able to preserve part of it.
What a Dentist Will Do
Treatment depends on depth. For shallow cracks, dental bonding (a tooth-colored resin applied to the surface) seals the fracture and stops sensitivity. For deeper cracks or teeth weakened by large fillings, a crown covers the entire tooth and holds it together. Crowns are the most common fix for a cracked tooth that’s causing real pain.
If the crack has reached the pulp (the soft tissue inside the tooth containing nerves and blood vessels), a root canal removes the damaged tissue before a crown is placed on top. Data from the American Association of Endodontists shows this combination works well: cracked teeth treated with a root canal and then restored with a crown had a 94% survival rate at two years. Without a crown afterward, survival dropped to just 20%. The crown is what holds everything together long-term.
If the tooth is split or the crack extends deep below the gum line, extraction may be the only option. Your dentist will typically discuss replacement options like an implant or bridge at that point.
Signs You Need Emergency Care
A cracked tooth can develop an infection if bacteria enter through the fracture and reach the inner tissue. Watch for throbbing pain that doesn’t respond to over-the-counter medication, swelling in your face or jaw, fever, or a foul taste in your mouth. If you develop a fever along with facial swelling and can’t reach your dentist, go to an emergency room. Difficulty breathing or swallowing is especially urgent, as it can signal the infection has spread into the jaw, throat, or neck.
Even without these red flags, a cracked tooth that hurts when you bite or reacts to temperature changes needs professional attention within a few days. The longer a crack goes untreated, the deeper it can propagate, and a tooth that could have been saved with a crown may eventually need extraction.