Uh-Oh! Here's What to Do About a Chipped Tooth
If you've had a bad fall or
took a line drive to the face on the baseball diamond, you may have a chipped
tooth. But fear not! Here's what to do about this problem.
You just fell and you taste blood in your mouth so you look in the mirror and...gasp! You notice a chip on one of your teeth. Oh no! What do you do?
Don't panic. Breathe and relax. A chipped tooth isn't the end of the world and it's fixable.
If you're staring at a chipped tooth right now and you're not sure what to do, read on and find out how to clean your tooth, prevent infection, and know what to expect when you get to the dentist.
What To Do About Your Chipped Tooth
The procedures to repair chipped teeth depends on how severe the chipping is. If it's a light chip, it can be easily fixed by shaving it down or with resin. If it's a larger chip, you might need a dental crown or veneer to replace it. Whichever the case is, however, you should always go see a dentist.
Before you go to the dentist, there are several things you can do at home to remediate the situation.
If you just fell and the chip was relatively large, look around the area to see if you can find the missing piece. If you can find it, there's a good chance that your dentist can bond in back together for you. If you can't, it's okay, there are other solutions.
Right after the chip, rinse your mouth with warm water to get any dirt or germs out. A cracked tooth is much more susceptible to infections. Do not use water that is too cold or too hot because your tooth will be extra sensitive to it.
If your tooth is bleeding or you taste blood in your mouth, place a gauze pad or cotton ball on your broken tooth and bite down until the bleeding stops. Change the gauze pads once in a while.
If you notice swelling or if you're in a lot of pain, apply an ice pack on your cheek to reduce swelling. You may also take painkillers to reduce the pain, just make sure you don't take anything that can increase blood flow such as Aspirin. Ask your pharmacist to assist you.
If you sense a lot of pain everytime something touches your chipped tooth, including your tongue, part of your tooth's nerves are probably exposed. If this is the case, being very careful of what you eat or drink the next few days and try not to touch it at all.
If you cannot get a dentist appointment right away, buy some dental cement or wax to cover your chipped tooth from further damage. This will also protect the rest of your mouth from getting cut because chipped teeth can be sharp.
Continue these steps every day until you can see the dentist and avoid brushing or chewing near the area. Your goal is to stop bleeding and keep the area as clean as possible to prevent any infections.
If your child chips his or her tooth, follow the same steps. If they haven't lost all their baby teeth yet, this is good because it means there's less need to worry about replacing a whole tooth.
Once you get to the dentist, he or she will perform several procedures depending on the severity of the chip.
If the chip is tiny and not noticeable at all, your dentist will probably bond your teeth with resin to seal it to prevent further damage and infection.
Or, if the chip is slightly noticeable and you'd rather not have an uneven tooth, your dentist can lightly file it down and polish it so its edges are not jagged and become less noticeable.
The biggest concern with bigger chips is that they might expose the nerve underneath your enamel. If this happens, your risk of infection goes up and it can lead to bigger problems.
If a nerve is exposed, your dentist will recommend placing a dental crown or cap over your tooth. This will cover up the exposed nerves and fix the aesthetics of your teeth.
Before placing a crown or cap, however, your dentist will have to check your tooth thoroughly to make sure there are no chipped particles or dirt stuck below the surface, otherwise, an infection can happen and make matters worst.
If your tooth was damaged severely and it's almost close to a broken tooth, your dentist might need to completely extract the tooth. They'll do everything they can before choosing this option but sometimes it is the safest thing to do.
If there are a lot of broken pieces, dirt, and gunk in the injured area, or if your tooth is already infected, your dentist will suggest extracting the entire tooth. This is also known as a root canal .
After the root canal procedure, your dentist will replace it with permanent filling and maybe a crown. This entire process will take several visits but it's to ensure you get a new healthy tooth.
In order to prevent another chipped tooth, take preventative measures when you do anything that puts your teeth at risk.
If you play a lot of intensive sports or you grind your teeth when you sleep, you should consider getting a mouth guard .
If you like to eat a lot of hard foods such as crabs or lobsters, use metal clams to break them instead of using your bare teeth. Eating hard foods is how most people end up with chipped molar tooth .
Even if you don't do either of the things above, you should know that teeth naturally weaken as we age. Keep that in mind the next time you think about ripping something with your teeth instead of grabbing the scissors.
If you would like more tips on how to maintain healthy and strong teeth from real dentists, visit our blog for more information!