Why Are My Teeth Chipping?
If you have a chipped tooth, even just a small chip or minor break, it can be an unpleasant and possibly unhealthy experience. Identifying the cause of a chipped tooth is simple if it is due to a fall, an accident, or if it happens while you are eating. But if you chip a tooth for seemingly no reason, or you do not know how it happened, it is likely you have an issue beneath the surface of your tooth.
A chipped tooth can be a warning sign of serious dental health problems. You should see your dentist as soon as possible.
What Are Common Causes of Teeth Chipping?
Chipped teeth can be caused by any of the following factors:
- Chewing on hard foods such as hard candy or ice—or even fingernails—may seem harmless, but hard surfaces and textures can slowly weaken tooth enamel. Over time, the damage caused can mean your teeth no longer tolerate the stress, which can cause chips and breaks.
- Grinding your teeth, also known as bruxism, occurs when you involuntarily clench and grind your teeth together, usually during sleep, but also as a natural reaction to stress or anxiety. Bruxism can cause toothaches, headaches, jaw pain, enamel erosion, and chipped or broken teeth.
- Tooth decay due to cavities and improper oral care can result in chipped or broken teeth, especially if you have an untreated cavity that has reached an advanced stage of decay, making it weak and prone to damage.
- Decreased saliva in your mouth can cause your enamel to become dry. When tooth enamel dries, it also becomes brittle and susceptible to tooth decay and cavities.
- Age-related dental issues make it more likely you could experience chipped or broken teeth. Changes in our bodies due to aging also affect our dental health. Over time, exposure to acidic foods and drinks causes tooth enamel failure, leading to tooth decay.
Common symptoms of chipped teeth are gum irritation around the affected tooth, a jagged tooth surface you can feel with your tongue, and pressure or pain when biting. If a chip in your tooth worsens and becomes a larger crack that extends into the pulp, or dentin, inside your tooth, infection and tooth loss are possible. Signs of infection include discomfort while eating, sensitivity to hot or cold foods or liquids, fever, a sour taste or foul odor in your mouth, or inflammation of the glands in the face and neck.
What Are Treatment Methods for Chipped Teeth?
Based on the severity of your chipped tooth, your dentist may recommend the following treatments:
- Fillings are an excellent solution for minor chips in teeth that do not involve exposed dentin. For visible teeth, your dentist will choose a tooth-colored filling that will blend with the rest of your teeth.
- Bonding and contouring are an effective treatment for small chips or cracks. Your dentist will use tooth-colored resin to fill affected spaces and then contour the material to blend naturally with your smile, especially if a visible tooth is involved.
- Gold crowns are used for teeth that are too damaged for fillings or bonding. Crowns restore the shape and function of badly chipped, cracked, or eroded teeth. For visible teeth, the gold is coated with porcelain and color-matched to blend naturally with your other teeth.
- Root canal treatment may be necessary for advanced cavities, severe breaks, or tooth infection. Treatment involves removing the root tissue in your tooth, filling the root area, and sealing it to prevent further damage or infection.
What Steps Can I Take to Protect My Teeth?
No matter how small a chip, crack, or break in your tooth might seem, see your dentist as soon as possible. Waiting is not a good option because you risk damaging your tooth further, leaving it vulnerable to infection, and in extreme cases, tooth loss.
Related Article: Is a Chipped Tooth Serious?