A chipped tooth is a common occurrence that can happen to almost anyone, even those with excellent dental health. The truth is that everyone wants to have a stunning set of teeth, and having a chipped tooth can interfere with that. In fact, chipped teeth can be annoying, embarrassing, and, more importantly, painful. Dealing with such dental situations can be uncomfortable and unsettling.
What Causes a Tooth to Chip?
Although your tooth enamel is strong and solid, tooth chipping can still occur for various reasons. Here are a few factors that can cause your teeth to chip.
Bruxism or Teeth Grinding
The medical term for teeth grinding is bruxism. Grinding your teeth is bad for your oral health. Not only can it lead to broken and fractured teeth, but constant grinding also erodes the enamel of your teeth, making them more prone to chipping under pressure.
Chipped teeth are actually one of the most prominent indicators of bruxism. A major fact about teeth grinding is that most people don’t even know they have it, mainly because it usually occurs at night while you sleep.
Chewing on Hard Items
Chewing on hard things is one of the leading causes of chipped teeth. Strong teeth aren’t designed for chewing on hard foods or non-edible items, such as ice, jawbreakers, or fingernails. If you habitually engage in any of these behaviors, you’ll eventually notice your teeth chipping away.
Lack of Essential Nutrients for Your Teeth
Your body requires sufficient quantities of vital and essential nutrients, such as fluoride and calcium, for strong and healthy teeth. These minerals help strengthen and protect your teeth from decay. Therefore, failure to provide your teeth with these nutrients will lead to tooth decay, which will eventually make your teeth most susceptible to chipping.
How to Prevent Chipped Teeth
Although chipped teeth are common, they are also quite preventable. Here are a few ways in which you can minimize the chances of tooth chipping:
|Take proper care of your dental health and maintain a strict dental hygiene routine
|Avoid chewing or biting into hard things
|Wear a mouthguard if you have bruxism
Should You Repair Chipped Teeth?
A chipped tooth might seem like a merely harmless occurrence, but the fact is that avoiding fixing your chipped teeth can lead to serious consequences.
You should have your chipped tooth repaired as soon as possible:
|To avoid the jagged or sharp edges of your chipped tooth from cutting or injuring your gums, tongue, or inner cheek
|To protect the pulp of the tooth, the loss of which can lead to serious infections and tooth sensitivity
|To avoid the worsening of chips and cracks, which, if severe, can lead to the need for root canals and extractions
|To avoid consistent bad breath due to tooth decay
When it comes to chipped teeth, there are no do-it-yourself methods to fix them permanently. Only a professional can help you sort this issue via a quick, non-intrusive, and relatively painless procedure.
If you’re looking for a dentist to repair your chipped teeth and restore your smile, we are here for you! Schedule an appointment with our experienced dentists, Dr. Kurt Gibson and Dr. Tripp Bartholomew at Gibson & Bartholomew Restorative and Esthetic Dentistry, by calling (336) 283-2593 today.