Tooth enamel is incredibly strong. Yetpeople constantly chip their teeth. Eventually, that chipped tooth will need tobe checked by a dentist for possible treatment. But why did it chip in thefirst place?
Here are some of the most commonreasons people chip their teeth:
1. Bottles. 4th of Julycauses this one a lot! Glass bottles and teeth do not mix. Sometimes, you mightbring the bottle up to your mouth too quickly. Incisors (front teeth) are themost commonly chipped by bottles and glasses. Fortunately, these are generallysmall chips that can be fixed at the dental office.
2. Hard candy. They’re calledjawbreakers for a reason folks! Hard candy gets bit-down-upon causing damage toa molar. These chips can actually fracture your tooth, or worse, and require adental exam as soon as possible.
3. Kids. Trampolines/bouncyhouses, head bumps, or a toy to the mouth are common for parents/guardians. Normallychildren make us smile, but in this case, not so much.
4. Stress. Childbirth,clenching and grinding at night, or work in general. These stressful moments inlife cause us to accidently chip a bit of tooth. In these cases, it is best tofocus on the issue at hand (inhale- exhale!) and recover a few days beforegetting the tooth fixed. When you’re feeling better, then schedule with yourdentist.
5. Surgery. Unfortunately, insurgeries that require anesthetic equipment in the mouth or throat, teeth cantake the brunt. Hopefully these are small and easily fixed after the importantsurgery is completed and the patient has recovered.
If a chipped tooth is not fixed, it cancause tooth decay, leading to more expensive treatment. Also, a piece ofprotective enamel is gone, exposing the inner tooth nerves and making the toothsensitive to pressure, and hot, cold, sweet, and acidic food and drinks. If the damage goes deeper than your tooth's enamel, there is a risk of infection and tooth loss, and it can be painful.
Having a chipped tooth can be embarrassing.If you have chipped off just a small piece of tooth enamel, your dentist may repair the damage with afilling. If the repair is to a front tooth or can be seen when you smile, your dentist will likely use a procedure calledbonding, which uses a tooth-colored composite resin. The TeleDentistsare available for consultation on treatment and remedies to help protect yourteeth from further damage. Talk to your TeleDentists today.
If you have a chipped tooth, The TeleDentists can help. Let us guide you on treatment and remediation.
