What Should I Do About My Chipped Tooth?
Even though dental enamel is designed to be strong, it’s not impenetrable, which is why chipped teeth are so common. Especially around the edges of the teeth, where enamel is thinnest, and as we age, as enamel thins, it’s easy to imagine enamel chipping. The most obvious cause of a chipped tooth is the impact sustained by an accident or fall. Of course, people can sustain more substantial injuries during an accident or a fall, and, if this is the case, you should seek medical attention immediately and worry about your tooth later. In other cases, teeth chip for reasons we can control, at least somewhat, by adhering to beneficial oral hygiene habits. Teeth that have been weakened by cavities and teeth that have undergone multiple restorations are the teeth that are most likely to chip, for example, underscoring the need to prevent cavities and keep the teeth and oral tissues healthy throughout our lives.
While teeth that are weakened because of cavities or restorations are more likely to chip, it’s still possible for seemingly simple circumstances to cause healthy teeth to chip, though it’s also possible to limit these risks. Biting into hard foods, like hard candy or bone, can chip a tooth if the tooth hits at an inopportune angle, and it is especially risky when enamel is weaker. To prevent damage to the teeth from contact sports, players should wear mouth guards when they play and exercise caution when possible. People who chronically grind their teeth in their sleep should wear well-fitting night guards while they sleep and address underlying issues that could encourage these habits, and people who open bottles or packing tape with their teeth should stop doing so immediately.
If you notice that you’ve chipped or broken your tooth, try to save the piece of tooth in a small amount of milk or saliva and bring it to the dentist with you. If you can’t find it, that’s okay; there are other ways to restore your tooth. See your dentist as soon as you can, even if the chip seems minor, to protect your oral tissues from further damage, and, if damage is more substantial, seek medical attention right away. Rinse your mouth with warm, soothing water, and, if the area is bleeding, press gauze to the area until bleeding is stemmed, replacing with clean gauze as needed. Use an ice pack on the outside of the face to reduce swelling and relieve pain with over-the-counter medication. If you have dental wax, use it on the edges of the tooth to protect your tongue, lips, and cheeks. If you don’t have dental wax, try using sugar-free chewing gum while you wait to see the dentist.
If the chip is small and the effects are strictly aesthetic, the dentist might be able to polish the area smooth and remove the visibility of the chip. In other cases, dentists use bonding materials or veneers to maintain and protect chipped teeth. If you’ve chipped your tooth more significantly and the layers beneath the enamel have been damaged, see your dentist or other emergency medical provider right away to ensure that infection doesn’t enter the bloodstream and compromise your overall health. Of course, when these dental layers are damaged, there are usually other symptoms, too, and prompt attention can also minimize the pain that comes with such infection and injuries. When infection does arise, it is treated with a root canal, in an attempt to save the tooth; these attempts are not always successful, and the tooth may need to be extracted. The sooner you see your dentist after damaging a tooth, the more likely they’ll be able to save the tooth and restore your smile.