Chipping a tooth is the work of nightmares come to life. Even the slightest chip causes extreme worry, being shy because your smile is ‘imperfect’, and an increased risk of exposure to the nerves inside the tooth, causing discomfort, and oftentimes, pain. Chipping a tooth is one of the most common of dental injuries, which usually requires a strong force or hitting just the right angle. However, if you find that your teeth are more prone to chipping, there may be some more serious underlying issues ahead.
What are some common causes of chipped teeth?
It’s not expected when you chip a tooth, and it can happen in random moments, like when participating in sports, in accidents, or due to bad habits. Below are a few common reasons people have reported to their dentist about their chipped teeth:
- Teeth being weak from cavities
- Sports injuries
- Biting hard objects like hard candy, bone, or metal
- Clenching or grinding the teeth
- Hitting the mouth while falling or in an accident
What happens if you don’t treat a chipped tooth?
After chipping the tooth, it’s important to still seek a dental specialist to look and see if the tooth can have issues in the future due to the chip. While it’s not seen as a medical emergency, it’s still worthwhile to get a check-up as soon as possible. If left untreated, the tooth can be exposed to anything like:
- Tooth sensitivity and pain
- Damage to the enamel
- An ‘imperfect’ smile
- Infection leading to an abscess
- The possibility of tooth loss if the nerve dies from exposure
What should you do after you chip your tooth?
Based on the severity of the chip, there are a few methods to help protect your tooth from further damage. The first step being to ensure that you rinse your mouth with warm water. This is to help deter irritants from around the tooth and rinse away any possible blood. Using anything other than warm water can irritate the tooth due to the increased sensitivity. In the case of any bleeding, be sure to apply clean gauze to the tooth and add pressure. If there is any swelling or pain, either use an ice pack on your face near the area or take over-the-counter pain relievers.
To further protect the inside of your mouth, apply dental wax or sugarless chewing gum to the jagged edges of the chipped tooth to make sure it doesn’t scratch up the tongue or insides of the mouth. The tooth also needs protecting before going to see the dentist; that’s where dental cement is recommended. When going to the dentist, try to preserve the chip if possible since it can be reattached. To preserve this broken piece, place it in milk or saliva to avoid it drying out.
In the event that you end up chipping your tooth, it is wise to immediately contact a dental specialist for a checkup as soon as possible. If you can, try to save the chip that fell off so it can be reattached. If you feel discomfort or pain from the tooth, let the dentist know immediately.
Related Article: Is a Chipped Tooth Serious?