Molars are subjected to the most biting force and thus can end up broken pretty badly, but at what point should they be pulled when this happens?

“Broken teeth are probably one of the most common emergency calls to the dental office,” says Gigi Meinecke, DMD, FAGD, member of the Academy of General Dentistry with a private practice in Potomac, MD.

“Like anything else, there are varying degrees of ‘broken’ when it comes to teeth,” she continues. “Only a dentist can determine if a tooth is broken beyond repair.

“Molars, located in the back of the mouth, have the most force applied to them when chewing (think of a nutcracker), and are frequent victims of breakage.”

Foods that Can Break a Molar

Hard candy. This includes anything with names like “Jaw Breakers.”

If you love hard candy, suck on it rather than chew. Remind yourself that you don’t have the jaws/teeth of a dog.

Stale gumball. Especially large ones; when stale they can be as hard as hard candy.

Chilled chocolate blocks. Biting into a block can easily crack a molar.

Peanut brittle.

Unpopped popcorn kernels.

Bread. Some crusts are ridiculously hard, forcing the eater to try to tear at the crust with their teeth, and then chew it with the molars. This puts tremendous strain on the molars.

Ice cubes. If you like to chew on ice, make it crushed ice.

Bones. You’re not a hyena. Don’t try to chew bones in the name of getting more calcium or because you don’t want to bother spitting them out.

Dr. Meinecke continues, “Depending on the extent of damage, your dentist will recommend anything from a simple filling, root canal and/or a crown.

“If your dentist believes the damage is beyond repair, or if the cumulative costs involved in repair don’t make good financial sense when weighed with the resulting long-term prognosis, he or she may recommend extraction.

“When extraction is the only option, your dentist will discuss replacement options with you.”

Dr. Meinecke, member of the Academy of General Dentistry, uses state-of-the-art sterilization procedures to ensure patient safety. In addition to comprehensive dental care, you’ll be treated in an ultra-modern dental office utilizing many of today’s latest dental technologies.

Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.  

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Top image: Shutterstock/sirtravelalot

There’s a general rule for how long after a molar is removed that active bleeding should last and how long seeping should last, plus how to treat and what to expect.

A lot of bleeding after molar extraction can be unnerving. Here’s what you need to know.

“Just like no two individuals are the same, no two extractions are the same,” says Gigi Meinecke, DMD, FAGD, member of the Academy of General Dentistry with a private practice in Potomac, MD.

“But in general, once your tooth has been removed, the dentist will place a thick piece of gauze at the extraction site and have you bite down on it,” continues Dr. Meinecke.

“You’ll be instructed to stay closed on the gauze for 20 minutes before removing it. That puts pressure on the area and helps stop the bleeding.

“During that time you should refrain from talking or any other mouth movements that would release the pressure on the gauze.”

That means you may want to turn off your cell phone to avoid the temptation to respond to incoming calls.

“You should swallow like normal during this time since any spitting will loosen the clot,” continues Dr. Meinecke.

“I tell my patients that the gauze does have an odd taste, but you should ignore it and swallow as usual.

“After the 20 minutes has gone by and you’ve removed the gauze, if there is still some bleeding your dentist will have given you a pack of extra sterile gauze. You can place new gauze in the area and bite on it again for 20 minutes – no peeking!”

What if the bleeding after molar extraction won’t stop after 20 minutes?

“If that 20 minutes goes by and you still have some bleeding or oozing of blood, you should get a tea bag – any generic tea will do – moisten the tea bag with water and place it at the extraction site and bite for another 20 minutes,” says Dr. Meinecke.

“Tea contains tannic acid which will help clot the blood. In total, 60 minutes of biting down on either the gauze or tea bag should be enough to stop any active bleeding.

“Don’t be alarmed if you see blood on your pillow the next morning. This is common, and remember that your blood is mixed with saliva which makes it appear more impressive, but it’s usually nothing to worry about.

“However, you should contact your dentist immediately if your mouth is filling with blood.

“Active bleeding should end within 20 minutes after extraction, and mild seeping of blood can go on for 12 hours.”

Dr. Meinecke, member of the Academy of General Dentistry, uses state-of-the-art sterilization procedures to ensure patient safety. In addition to comprehensive dental care, you’ll be treated in an ultra-modern dental office utilizing many of today’s latest dental technologies.

Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer. 

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Top image: Shutterstock/Jaromir Chalabala