What To Do When You Chip Your Tooth

Have you ever bitten down on a piece of ice or hard candy and felt a sudden crack? When you pull the candy out of your mouth, you can feel that a piece has broken off and stayed behind, only to realize it’s a part of your tooth.

Though many people will go their lives without ever breaking a tooth, it is a relatively common dental injury. The enamel on our teeth is some of the toughest, most mineralized tissue in the human body, but it has its limits. Biting down on something hard, receiving a blow to the face, or falling, especially if some decay already weakens a tooth, can chip or break a tooth.

Chips can be minor, only affecting the surface layer of your enamel, or they can be severe, exposing the nerves in the tooth’s inner pulp and causing pain, discomfort, and heightened sensitivity.

If you’ve chipped your tooth, don’t panic. There are many ways to take care of it, and by following a few simple steps you can protect the tooth until you are seen.

Why Shouldn’t You Ignore a Chipped Tooth?

First of all, you’ll want to schedule a time to see your emergency dentist. Although a chipped or cracked tooth may not cause serious medical concern, it will not get better on its own. In the best-case scenario for ignoring a broken tooth, the damage is only cosmetic, and you live with a nick in your smile. The more likely outcome is that the tooth sustains further damage or becomes infected and develops into a more serious medical problem.

Make sure to call your dentist and set up an appointment as soon as possible. Dr. Kerri Hill at The Art of Dental Wellness has been practicing cosmetic dentistry for more than 25 years, and she has experience helping patients restore their teeth after a chip, break, or fracture.

How Do You Care for a Chipped Tooth Until You See Your Dentist?

Though you should schedule your appointment as soon as possible, you probably won’t be able to see your dentist immediately, so it’s important to know how to take care of your tooth until you receive professional treatment. You’ll want to prevent further injury and keep the tooth protected. There are some simple steps to take at home while waiting for your dental appointment.

• Rinse your mouth with warm saltwater. This will help clean out the area and reduce the risk of infection. A good salt to water ratio is about half a teaspoon of table salt for every 8 ounces of water. You probably won’t want to swallow this anyway, so make sure to spit it out.
• Control bleeding and swelling. If there is bleeding, apply pressure with a piece of clean gauze. If you have a more serious fracture, you can reduce swelling by putting an ice pack on your cheek next to the injured tooth.
• Take an over-the-counter pain reliever. If the damage is mild, you may not feel any pain, but it’s more likely that your tooth will be a little tender. Acetaminophen or ibuprofen can dull the pain until you seek professional treatment. Make sure to follow the dosage instructions on the bottle. Do not put aspirin right against the broken part of your tooth. That’s an old folk remedy that will not work and could even harm the inside of your mouth. Just swallow the pill like normal.
• Try an over-the-counter anesthetic. These usually come in gel or liquid form and contain benzocaine, which will numb your mouth temporarily. Use sparingly and know that anesthetics are only meant for short-term use.
• Cover sharp edges. If the break in your tooth has jagged edges, cover them with a piece of sugarless gum to make sure you don’t cut your tongue or cheeks or snag anything on the broken part. You can also use dental wax or dental cement available at most drug stores. More people have gum handy than dental wax, but if you do use gum, stick to sugar-free versions to prevent irritating the sensitive part of your tooth.
• Stick to liquids and soft foods. This avoids damaging the tooth further. Liquids or foods that are too hot or cold may cause pain or heightened sensitivity, so be cautious and find a temporary diet that works until you receive treatment.

What Should You Expect at the Dental Appointment?

Your dentist will assess the severity of damage to the tooth to determine an appropriate treatment. If only a small portion of enamel has broken off, they will likely be able to repair your tooth in a single office visit. If the tooth is badly damaged, it may require a more complex procedure and multiple appointments. Individual results vary.

There are a variety of options for chipped tooth repair, from simple polishing to tooth crowns or dental caps to root canal therapy. Your dentist will be able to recommend the best option for you.

How Can You Prevent a Chipped Tooth?

Many people will go their entire life without chipping a tooth. Still, if you’ve experienced it, you’ll want to take steps to prevent it from happening again.

• Practice good dental hygiene. Maintaining good oral health is important for preventing injury. Teeth already weakened by decay are much more likely to break, so brush your teeth, floss regularly, and don’t skip your dental checkups.
• Wear a mouthguard during contact sports. The stereotype of a hockey player with missing teeth has truth to it. Protect your mouth from heavy impacts.
• Don’t bite down hard on ice or hard candy. They might fight back.
• Don’t use your teeth for tasks they weren’t designed for. Your teeth are great at chewing your food. They aren’t great for opening bottles, tearing open snack bags, or holding heavy objects.

Breaking a tooth can be a frightening and painful experience, but many solutions are available to you. Follow the tips above and remember that the most important step to recovery is contacting your dentist as soon as possible so that they can provide you with guidance and care.

Dr. Kerri Hill at The Art of Dental Wellness has more than 25 years of experience in restorative dentistry and has helped patients with chips, breaks, and fractures of many kinds. No matter the cause or the level of damage, she can recommend the right treatment for you.