You’re eating your favorite candy when you feel something in your mouth that is unusually hard. Then, you realize you are dealing with something you’ve been trying to avoid: a chipped tooth. But don’t worry, treating a chipped tooth is easy with an excellent dental service provider.
You may feel uncomfortable or hurt when you’re dealing with a chipped tooth. The extent of the damage depends on the type of injury you’ve obtained and the condition of your teeth. If you need dental services, contact Lovett Dental Sharpstown today.
At Lovett Dental Sharpstown, our team is committed to providing expert dental services to each of our clients. We offer a wide array of services, so we can assist with nearly any dental problem you’re facing, including a chipped tooth. To make an appointment with our experts or to learn more about our treatment options, please call Lovett Dental Sharpstown at 281-975-5560.
What Causes a Chipped Tooth?
Contrary to what you see in movies, you don’t have to be involved in a violent brawl to suffer from a chipped tooth. If you’ve ever had to deal with this problem, you know how annoying it can be. Leaving this problem untreated may even cause more serious oral problems. The reasons for getting a chipped tooth can vary depending on your age and lifestyle, among other factors.
If you did not knock your tooth on something hard, there might be risk factors that you’ve missed. One common reason for tooth chipping is bruxism or teeth grinding while you are asleep. One in three people has this problem, so it’s not a rare condition. When you grind your teeth, you are breaking down the surfaces that are involved in chewing. This action makes your enamel weak.
The second reason why your teeth may be chipping is because of poor nutrition. The food you eat significantly affects how healthy your teeth are. For instance, if you always eat desserts and meals with acid, sugar, and starch, your enamel will erode over time.
Another common reason for teeth chipping is cavities. If your dentist has treated it accordingly, you are less likely to chip a tooth.
Aside from this, you may have a bad bite. In other words, the way your teeth clamp down is imbalanced. Because of this, some of your teeth will take the impact of each bite instead of distributing it across your mouth. If this is the case, you are probably suffering from crooked teeth. However, one can still have an uneven bite despite having straight-looking teeth.
Some of the other common causes of a chipped tooth include:
- Face trauma from sports or accidents
- Piercings
- Using teeth as a tool
- Biting down on something hard
No matter what caused your chipped tooth, Lovett Dental Sharpstown can help.
Treating a Chipped Tooth
So, can you still treat your chipped tooth? Thankfully, you can. However, the process is more complicated than you think.
A chipped or cracked tooth does not grow back. So once a portion of your tooth came off, it will never regrow. Therefore, it’s crucial to take care of your teeth before accidents happen by regularly visiting your dentist for fluoride treatments or teeth cleanings. Even if you suffer from a cracked tooth, you need to visit your dentist.
While it’s not possible to treat a chipped tooth at home, there are remedies you can do before you can see a dentist. These remedies include taking over-the-counter pain medicine, rinsing your mouth with salt water to disinfect it, and eating soft foods.
The treatment your dentist will give you depends on the severity of the chip. If it’s small and barely noticeable, your dentist may smooth it out and polish it. You may need a sealant or filling for bigger chips to help you eat regularly and bring back the tooth’s healthy appearance.
But if it is significant and there is a nerve exposed, you need to undergo a root canal before the dentist can put a crown on top. If left untreated, you may lose your tooth entirely and suffer from bleeding gums.
Take Care of Your Smile by Contacting Lovett Dental Sharpstown Today
Suffering from a chipped tooth can affect how you look, make eating and drinking uncomfortable, or you can cut your tongue or lip with it. Treating a chipped tooth should be done by a trusted dentist. This way, it will not cause other oral problems. At Lovett Dental Sharpstown, we provide a range of dental treatments to help you maintain your smile, including:
Contact Lovett Dental Sharpstown at 281-975-5560 to book your next appointment today.
