A chipped tooth can happen at anytime; maybe you hit yourself with the tip of a glass, or fall down. Or maybe you just had bad luck while eating your lunch. Regardless, a chipped tooth can easily be restored with a quick visit to the dentist and some good old resin.
Side effects of a chipped tooth
On a best case scenario a chipped tooth is innocuous. You might notice it when you look at the mirror, but aside from that, there is little to worry about.
What about the worst case?. Teeth have little tubules which run from the pulp to the dentin. If these tubules are exposed due to cracks or fractures, then bacteria can crawl up all the way to the pulp, infecting it. Which in turn may cause tooth decay and abscesses. In which case, the dentist will need to make a root canal to prevent further damage.
In some cases, the crack might expose a nerve, this can proof extremely painful as you will be sensible to even the slightest stimulus. As you can see, a chipped tooth is no laughing matter.
Tips to avoid it
Avoiding a chipped tooth is as simple as following basic guidelines we are taught since kinder garden.
First, don’t rip wraps apart, don’t open bottles, don’t use your teeth to cut things. In short, your teeth are not a tool to be used for anything aside than chewing. Misusing your teeth wears them down, and makes then more susceptible to cracks.
Second, if you are into sports or activities in which you can get hurt, use dental protection. It might be uncomfortable at first, but with enough practice you grow used to them. It might not be the most popular piece of sports equipment, but it’s one of the safer.
Third, if you wake up with jaw pain you might grind your teeth during the night. Teeth grinding causes wear and weakens the tooth just like when you misuse your teeth. There are special equipment designed to prevent bruxism, and your doctor may recommend psychological therapy, since it is usually closely related to stress.
Fourth, avoid hard food. I’m not talking about a overdone toast, rather, things like jawbreakers, which, while tasty, proves difficult to break.
Finally, brush at least twice a day; most commercial toothpaste not only clean your mouth, but also strengthens the enamel, making it more resistant.
