Our teeth are quite strong; however, that doesn’t mean you can’t chip or break a tooth. Accidents are a common cause of chipped or broken teeth. Nonetheless, your story can be less dramatic because you can chip your teeth while chewing something hard like candy. Regardless of the cause, the result is the same: either you have a chipped tooth or have lost the tooth entirely. In any scenario, it’s best to visit a dentist as soon as possible. However, until your appointment time arrives, here is how you can take care of the chipped tooth to avoid further complications.
What Increases The Risk Of Tooth Chipping?
Although tooth chipping can happen to anyone, a few individuals are more prone to it as their enamel is considerably weak. Here are a few causes of weak enamel:
- Tooth Decay can weaken the enamel and other structure of the tooth, making the chipping easier.
- Bruxism or teeth grinding habit induces enough stress on the teeth to make them weak and vulnerable.
- A diet includes lots of acidic food because the acid in food or drink demineralizes the enamel, making it feeble.
- Age is a factor we can’t ignore. With growing age, the enamel gets thinner, leaving the teeth vulnerable.
What Should You Do Immediately After Tooth Chipping?
The breakage site has jagged edges, and when your tongue or inner cheek gets caught in one of them, it can result in unpleasant cuts. Therefore, cover the jagged edge with a teabag, sugar-free gum, or dental wax. You can obtain dental wax from any pharmacy. Now we should turn our attention to pain and swelling; you can go for OTC painkillers, such as ibuprofen, to abate the pain. For swelling or irritation, if any, ice the outside of the cheek near the area where the chipping has occurred.
Furthermore, try not to chew using the chipped tooth to avoid more damage. If the chip is not that bad, you can floss the tooth to remove any aggravating food particles.
What To Do If You Lose A Tooth Completely?
If you have lost a tooth, grab the tooth from the crown or the top using the wet gauze and try to put it back into the socket. However, clean the enamel gently using water only if the tooth looks dirty. On the other hand, if the tooth doesn’t fit back in the socket, place it in a glass of water, milk, or saline solution.
Contact the dentist immediately, preferably within 30 minutes, in case of a completely detached tooth. To make reattachment successful, you need to contact your dentist as soon as possible.
Conclusion:
The solution to a chipped tooth lies in a dentist visit. However, until the time comes, you can prevent any more trouble or complication by following the guidelines we have mentioned. Dentists at Brookshire Smile Dental can masterfully reconstruct your broken tooth. You can call us at 281-934-1010 to inquire more about the treatment available or for self-care tips for a chipped tooth.