Why Are My Teeth Chipping?
If a chunk of your tooth chips off because of an accident, fall, or other impact, it’s pretty easy to understand why it happened. The reality is that teeth chip for a lot of other reasons and to varying degrees. In some cases, minor chips won’t lead to additional damage, though the teeth should be monitored consistently at dental checkups and maintained with diligent home hygiene. In other cases, minor chips should be repaired and the structure and appearance of the tooth restored. In all cases, however, understanding why the teeth are chipping is integral to preventing it from happening again. It’s also important to note that effective oral hygiene, which helps keep the teeth maintaining their strong, protective enamel, also helps prevent the teeth from chipping under normal wear and tear. If one of your teeth chips or breaks with very little or no known prompting, it’s likely because there are underlying issues with your oral health that will require comprehensive treatment.
Dental enamel is also weakened by foods that are high in acid, including carbonated drinks, and eroded by stomach acid that enters the mouth with acid reflux, GERD, and some eating disorders. Dry mouth, which is a common side effect of many medications, also compromises the enamel and gradually makes the teeth more brittle and prone to chipping. Enamel also erodes over time, simply due to normal wear and tear, and older people may be more prone to chipped teeth. This is also the case when certain nutritional deficiencies are present; in particular, calcium and vitamin D are crucial to the health and strength of the bones and teeth.
Sometimes, even healthy teeth can chip. Of course, teeth often chip as a result of accidents or falls or because of some other type of impact, and people who play contact sports should always wear a mouth guard when playing. Other than these more obvious causes, teeth tend to chip because of smaller impacts. Biting down on hard foods, like candy, or habitually chewing on fingernails, ice, pens, or other hard objects, are some of the more common ways to chip a tooth. Using the teeth as tools is also a surefire way to chip a tooth; they’re not bottle openers or scissors and shouldn’t be treated as such. Smoking dries out the mouth and increases the risks of tooth decay and gum disease, weakening the teeth and multiplying the risks of bad chewing habits.
Another common cause of chipped teeth is bruxism, which is the unconscious grinding of the teeth and clenching of the jaw, which often happens while sleeping. The excessive pressure on dental enamel can create tiny fractures, which could continue to expand as the habit proceeds. Your dentist will evaluate your teeth for symptoms of bruxism at your regular dental checkups, discussing treatment if necessary. Alignment issues with the teeth and ill-fitting or misaligned dental restorations can place asymmetrical stress on certain teeth and increase the likelihood of teeth chipping. See your dentist promptly if you notice one of your teeth has chipped or if you see cracks or fractures in your teeth, and make sure to see your dentist for routine checkups so they can check for hidden damage. Treatment can prevent future problems and help you keep your teeth strong and healthy for the long term.